


A New Life by the Sea

by SociallyAwkwardFox



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Angst, Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, F/F, Found Family, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Nightmares, Platonic Relationships, Romance, Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-14
Updated: 2020-11-03
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:08:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 59,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24176380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SociallyAwkwardFox/pseuds/SociallyAwkwardFox
Summary: After betraying Trent Ikithon to the Cobalt Soul, Caleb is placed under the protection of one of their members-Beauregard Lionett. The two grow so close they decide to stick together (even after Beau's protection is no longer required). When Beau's new assignment takes her to Nicodranas, Caleb goes with her to start a new life completely free of Trent Ikithon. Both find family, love and the place where they belong.
Relationships: Beauregard Lionett & Caleb Widogast, Fjord/Caleb Widogast, Jester Lavorre/Beauregard Lionett, Past Caleb Widogast/Astrid
Comments: 115
Kudos: 386





	1. Prologue

The steady click of boots in the hall outside his room drew Bren's attention from the imaginary runes he had been drawing on the table to the reinforced door across the room. After securing his cuffed wrists to the table, the cloaked figure in dark blue left the room without a word hours ago. Whether they were drawing it out or had forgotten about him, he wasn't sure, but someone was undoubtedly headed straight for the room. His hands balled into fists as the door flew open to reveal a woman dressed in blue monk's attire with her pulled back into a tight bun at the back of her head.

Critical eyes assessed him, then she dropped into the chair on the other side of the table. While maintaining eye contact, she reached into her jacket to pull out a small, battered journal. She tossed it onto the table between them, then crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back in the chair. Instead of looking down at the leather journal, Bren kept eye contact with her and waited for her to make the next move.

“What? Not going to defend yourself? Not going to tell me that inferring wouldn't stop anything?”

“It wouldn't help.”

“No, so why don't you explain this to me. Seems like you went through a lot of trouble for this thing.”

“It's a journal.”

Eyes narrowed dangerously, but she didn't make a move at him like he thought she would. “Obviously. Why did you go through the trouble of making sure it came with you?”

“It's important.”

“Why?”

“You haven't read it?”

“Were you counting on me to?” Slowly, she leaned forward to push the journal closer to him. “Opening things that don't belong to you are dangerous, especially when magic is involved. Open it.”

Metal scrapped against the table when he reached out to flick the cover of the journal open, so the blank page stared up at them. “A journal.”

Without a word, the monk undid the lock on the handcuffs and motioned at the journal again. After closing the journal, he traced a quick set of ruins that appeared in a glow of orange arcane energy over the cover. They flare to life as he finished the last one, then disappeared like they had never been there. When he opened the journal again, his handwriting filled the pages with all the information he managed to write down over the past few months.

“Fucking magic.” The monk snapped the cuffs back on him, then grabbed the journal and stood from her chair. “I'll be back. Don't get any crazy ideas in your head about escaping.”

He remained silent as the door clicked shut behind her.

* * *

The next time the door opened a bald individual stepped through the door with the monk from earlier following closely behind them. While the new monk took a seat across from him, the other leaned against the door with her arms crossed over her chest. Even though he turned his full attention to the one sitting across from him, Bren made sure to keep the other in the corner of his eye.

“I believe we can take these off.” The click of the handcuffs unlocking filled the small room. “My name is Dairon. On behalf of the Cobalt Soul, I want to thank you for getting us the information we needed to take down Trent Ikithon. We have him in our custody.”

“How do you know it was me?”

“Our business is in information. Even if you didn't have that journal with you, we have our way of figuring out who we're working with. We had to be sure the information you gave us wasn't a way for Ikithon to lead us into a trap. We've done a lot of digging on you.”

“Then I'm sure you'll be wanting to keep me here as well.”

Their head tipped to the side, but it did nothing to give away what they were thinking. “That would be a simple solution. You have been under Ikithon's care for a long time and have a lot of power at your fingertips, but the past does not always define a person. If we take the initiative, we can make something better out of ourselves.”

“At what cost?”

The silence that met his question gave him more of an answer than any words could. When he made the decision to break Trent's trust, he knew it wasn't likely that the Cobalt Soul would see his betrayal as enough to make up for his past deeds. A large part of him didn't want forgiveness from them-or anyone else that might see his change of heart as proof that he could be better. Trent dug his claws in too deep for him to ever be anything more than a broken husk of a man.

“You took a great personal risk to send us everything you did. Ikithon is not the type of person to forgive, and to have someone he groomed do that to him... Until we are sure that the plan Ikithon set in motion are stopped, you will be under the protection of the Cobalt Soul. Expositor Lionett will make sure you are safe.”

“And that I don't betray you.”

“Of course. We have to cover all of our bases.” As Dairon stood, they motioned for Expositor Lionett to step forward. “You'll need a new name, so any of Ikithon's supporters still out there aren't easily able to identify you. We can assign one for you or you can select your own. Once we have your new name, we'll be able to get all the documents you need. So, which will it be?”

“Caleb Widogast.”

“Everything you need will be ready soon, Mr. Widogast.”

“Thank you.”

Before slipping out of the door, the first hint of an expression ghosted across their face for a fraction of a moment. “No, thank you.”

The instant Dairon disappeared from sight, he warily eyed the young woman that would be keeping an eye on his every move for the foreseeable future. She raised an annoyed eyebrow at him as a scowl twisted her lips. Hostility radiated off her in waves, but she didn't appear to have any plans on acting on it. If he had to guess, most of the hostility was less directed specifically at him and more at the situation as a whole.

“Listen up because I'm only going to say this once. Do anything to make me even doubt the tiniest bit that you're helping us, and I'll knock you out and drag your skinny ass back here. Got it?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Come on. We need to get your shit, so I can finally sleep. I'm not about to stand here all night.”

“Of course, Expositor Lionett.”

A slight twitch at the corner of her eye followed by a heavy sigh seemed to finally break the woman a little bit out of her tough exterior. “You're one of those people. I'm not going to ever say this again either. Call me Beau or I'll punch you in the face.”

“Yes, Expositor Lionett.”

The fire in her eyes flared up for a few terrifying seconds, then a small smirk played along her lips. “Maybe we will get along. Come on, Caleb. I'm losing patience here.”

“After you, Beau.”

* * *

“This is it. Home sweet home. You can make yourself comfortable. You'll probably be here a while.”

The sparse space looked more like a hotel room than someone's living space-plain furniture, generic decorations, no sign of personal photos. If Beau hadn't told him she lived here, he would've thought the Cobalt Soul kept places like this just for these types of situations. Not that the décor mattered to him. Anywhere was better than living under Ikithon's thumb for the rest of his life.

“There's a guest room down the hall and on the left. Feel free to eat whatever's in the kitchen. I'll give you the grand tour after I've had some sleep.”

“Do you mind cats?”

A look of pure exhausted confusion appeared on Beau's face. "Where are you hiding a cat?”

“He's not exactly a normal cat.”

“Is this a magic thing? I can't deal with magic things right now. You know you were supposed to leave all your magical items behind. This is going to be a shit ton of paperwork I'm going to have to deal with tomorrow.”

“My cat is not a magical thing.”

“So, what? You're keeping it in your pocket?”

“Stay still.” Before she could argue, Caleb snapped his fingers to make Frumpkin appear on Beau's shoulders like a living scarf. “He is a bit magic, but he is a cat. He is my cat.”

Beau reached up to pet the cat purring around her neck, then tried to hide a smile when Frumpkin licked her finger. “The cat can stay instead of going back wherever he was before.”

“He doesn't mind but thank you.”

“What's his name?”

“Frumpkin.”

“Frumpkin.” She removed Frumpkin from around her neck to look him in the eye before handing him over to Caleb. “Good name. I'm really going to bed now. We can talk about whatever else you have hidden in that ugly coat in the morning when I can think straight.”

Despite her words, Beau took a few more minutes to pet the cat cradled in Caleb's arms instead of heading to bed. When she finally tore herself away from them, she hardly made it to her room without stumbling against a wall for extra support. Once the door clicked shut behind her, all the tension building in Caleb's body finally escaped. He slumped onto the couch with a heavy groan and stared up at the white ceiling.

“What do you think, Frumpkin? This is better. This will be better.”

He carefully set Frumpkin down on one of the immaculate throw pillows, so he could dig around in his bag for the book the Cobalt Soul had been hesitant to let him keep. The intricate design detailed into the leather had amazed him when Trent gave it to him, but now it seemed more like an ugly brand. A constant reminder of where he learned about the arcane and what he used that knowledge for. The book began to weigh heavy in his hand recently but getting rid of it was out of the question. Now was a different story.

After flipping to the first page, he set down the book on the coffee table, then pulled the blank book from his bag. The first stroke of his pen across the page sent a swell of arcane energy flowing through him as he dove headfirst into the familiar task of transferring a spell. His hand moved with certainty until he completed the first spell and the next and the next. By the time he ran out of ink, a ray of sunshine fell through the gap in the curtains right across where he worked.

“Have you slept at all?” The bang of his knee against the table caused a small snort of amusement from Beau. “I'll take that as a no. We do have to go back in today to finish up a few things.”

“I'll be fine.”

“Whatever you say, man. Good thing is it shouldn't take long as long as we don't end up having to deal with Zeenoth. He'll take forever just to be a pain in the ass.”

“I need to stop by a magic supply store.”

“For what? Another notebook for you to doodle in. I've got something around here you can use.”

“I need ink for my spells.”

“Man, you know the deal. No magic right now.”

“I'm transferring my spells, not doing magic.”

An eyebrow raised in question at him. “Why? That book looks fine to me.”

“Ikithon gave it to me.” After a beat of silence, he tipped his head thoughtfully to the side as he moved his gaze from the book to Beau. “Does this building have a fire pit?”

“Nah, but I know how to make one. We'll get you some of that fancy ink, but only because there's a place on the way to the grocery store.”

“You go to magic supply stores?”

“The Invulnerable Vagrant isn't strictly for magic supplies, but I'm sure Pumat will have whatever it is you're looking for.”

“When do we leave?”

“You're wearing that?”

“I don't have many options, unless you have something in my closet that will fit me.”

She considered him for a moment, then let out a put-upon sigh. “We'll add clothing to the list. Let's go.”

* * *

“Beauregard?”

A yelp followed by the sound of a thud against wood came from under the kitchen table. “Fuck, Caleb! What the hell, man?”

“What are you doing under the table?”

“Having a picnic. What do you think?”

“Someone is knocking on the door, and I'm not allowed to answer it.”

“Who is it?”

“How am I supposed to know? I'm not an oracle.”

“What's all your magic good for?”

“I'm not allowed to use magic, Beauregard.”

“Whatever. Just, stay here and don't make any noise. I'll take care of this.”

While he had no intentions of making an appearance, Frumpkin trailed behind Beau so he could see and hear everything. Before opening the door, Beau glared down at him and flipped him off. Frumpkin dutifully purred in response as he threaded his way through and around her ankle like a cat desperate for attention. The Expositor standing on the other side of the door looked down at the cat, then back up at Beau.

“When did you get a cat?”

“It's a new thing.”

“Did it come with your new roommate?”

“Maybe.”

“Well, they'll both be out of your hair soon. We've gotten everything we need for him to start a new life. Caleb Widogast will be free to do whatever he wishes.”

While Beau's face remained the same, her posture went tight as a bow string. “Are you sure he's safe now?”

“We've done all we can to track down Ikithon's supporters. Most of them have been rounded up, but it'll take years to be certain no more remain. He's welcome to stay under our protection as long as this is still a threat, but your duties have been completed.”

“What is my new assignment?”

“I need you to train the new recruits for me. There are pressing matters I must attend to and you're the only one here at the moment. We'll rotate you out when someone else finishes their assignment.”

“So, I'm stuck here.”

“For the time being." Dairon shifted their piercing gaze from Beau to the cat curled up at her feet. "Tell Caleb the news. Once he decides what he would like to do next, Zeenoth will take care of the arrangements.”

“How long will you be gone?”

“We can't know for sure. It's a very delicate situation.”

“Don't get caught.”

“Unlikely. Try not to go too hard on the recruits in my absence.”

“Unlikely.”

The two exchanged brisk nods before Dairon spun away from the door and disappeared down the hall. It took longer than normally for Beau return to the kitchen with Frumpkin hanging around her neck. She grabbed a bottle of wine on the way to the table, then plopped down in a chair to take a huge swig from it.

“So, what's the plan? I've heard Port Damali is nice this time of year. Could be a good place to disappear to.”

“We have not made a fire pit.” His fingers tapped nervously against the table to stop himself from chickening out of the conversation. “It would be a shame to leave before we make a fire pit.”

“A good fire pit takes a while to make.”

“Guess I will be sticking around for a while.”

“Only if you finally make yourself useful.”

The fork Caleb threw bounced off the cabinet behind Beau and onto the floor. “When was the last time you cleaned anything, or did your own laundry?”

“For someone that dresses like a hobo, you are surprisingly clean.”

“Fuck off.”

“We still have to talk to Zeenoth. He'll have all your paperwork and everything else you need to become a real boy again.”

“Think he'll let me in the archives again?”

“I'm not waiting around all day while you read books. I have things I need to get done.”

“Like sitting around watching Netflix?” Unlike Beau, he didn't even come close to dodging out of the way of the balled-up napkin she threw at his head. “Port Damali is sounding more and more like a better option than hanging around here.”

“Too late to change your mind now. Get ready to live with a lifetime of regret.”

“I came to peace with that a long time ago.”

“Way to bring down the mood. I need more wine for this.”

“If you drink it all now, we won't have any for tonight.”

“We can buy more." Despite her words, Beau twisted the cap back on the wine. “Pumat told me he's getting in new stock today. There might be something fun for us.”

“I will get my coat.”

* * *

The fire roaring before him flickered in the gentle breeze blowing through the field Beau insisted would be the perfect spot for late night arson. His fingernails dug into the cover of the book gripped tightly in his hands just waiting to be tossed right in the flame. It would be easy to step forward and throw it in. All the memories trapped in it couldn't haunt him if it burned into nothing more than ash. That last piece connecting him to Trent erased from existence.

“That's not going to make it explode, right?” Beau's distrust of the book clutched in his hands had her standing several feet further back than she was before. “It's got all you magic shit in it like that other one.”

“Ja, but it won't explode.”

“Listen, man, I don't know how your stuff works.”

“You know more than you let on.”

“That doesn't make me an expert. All I know is fire is kinda of your thing, which means that's full of fire spells. Plus, that dick gave you it. He could have rigged it to do something if someone tried to destroy it. From the little time I've spent with him, he seems like the type of person that would do that.”

“I suppose you are right. Maybe I should throw it from further back?”

“How big of an explosion do you think it would cause?”

He shrugged his shoulders as he moved backwards to stand next to Beau. “I have no idea. This will probably be good.”

After one last look at the cover, Caleb threw the book into the fire pit with as much strength as he could muster. The flames consumed the leather and pages with pops and crackles that sent sparks spiraling through the night sky. A hand clapped onto his shoulder, then Beau exchanged her hand for her forearm as she leaned against him. While she would never admit it, he appreciated the silent comfort she offered him as his former life went up in flames.

“I'm almost sad it didn't explode. It would have been more exciting.”

“I brought firecrackers.”

Beau playfully shoved at his shoulder with a wide grin spreading across her face. “No shit? Where the hell did you get firecrackers?”

“Pumat. I thought it would give us something fun to do. Watching something burn isn't exactly a fun night.”

“Give me some. I want to get this party started.”

“Pumat did not tell me what those do, so they might actually explode. We might want to stand further back than this.”

“Awesome.”

Before handing any of the firecrackers over, Caleb took several large steps back to put more distance between them and the fire. The moment he finally took them out of his pocket, Beau eagerly snatched a bright blue one and tossed it at the fire. They both waited with bated breath for something to happen, then nearly leapt into each other’s arms when the flames turned blue. Sparks flew directly up in the sky as a loud popping filled the air.

“Holy shit. These are awesome. How many more of those do you have?”

“Eight.”

An open palm shot out in front of face. “Hand them over. We're definitely blowing all of these.”

“That was the idea, ja.”

“What do you think happens if we throw two in at once?”

“No idea. Only one way to find out.”

“Bombs away!”

* * *

“Have you ever been to Nicodranas?” When he shook his head no, Beau tipped the rest of her wine back and sank lower in her chair. “Me either. I can't even remember the last time I went to a beach.”

“I've never been.”

“Really?”

“Trent wasn't exactly big on taking vacations to the coast. Most of my time was spent studying or carrying out assignments for him. He never let me go far. I don't know if he knew I wasn't as committed to the cause as the others or if there was some other reason for keeping me close.”

“You'll probably like the beach. It's peaceful when it's not storming.”

He dragged his fingers thoughtfully around the rim of his glass. “I've asked Zeenoth to help me find something to occupy my time in Nicodranas. It seems like a good time to start building that new life everyone keeps talking about.”

“That sounds healthy. Moving on and all that shit.”

“Zeenoth said that, too. Well, he was more elegant about it, but it amounted to the same thing.”

“Fuck you. At least I didn't take five thousand years to say it.”

“He's not that bad." The look Beau sent him got little more than a shrug from him. “Most of the time.”

“What are you going to do?”

“There was an open shop for rent. What do you think of the name Fireside Books?”

“Sounds like a bookstore.”

“It is.”

“Then it works. I can't believe you convinced Zeenoth to buy a bookstore for you.”

As Caleb filled Beau's wine glass, he rolled his eyes at her. “Zeenoth is a perfectly accommodate person when you don't act like you'd rather be literally anywhere else in the world. He was more than happy to help me acquire the space and all the necessary supplies to get the shop up and running.”

“But he couldn't find us a three-room apartment, so I could have a personal workout space.”

“The Cobalt Soul headquarters in Nicodranas will have space for you to do your monk shit.”

“Yeah, but that means I have to deal with other people. They'll want to make small talk with the new person and invite me to lunch and shit.”

“I cannot begin to imagine how difficult that will be for you.”

“Don't be an asshole.”

“That is what I am good at.” They fell into silence for several minutes while they both let their minds wander on the upcoming move. “Meeting new people could be a good thing. You might find someone interesting.”

“No one in the Cobalt Soul is interesting.”

“That's a very blanket statement that I disagree with.”

“Me being interesting doesn't count.”

“I was talking about Dairon.”

“Dick.”

“Last I checked, the Cobalt Soul aren't the only ones in Nicodranas.”

Frustration furrowed Beau's brow as she glared up at the stars. “It's hard to get close to people that don't know about all of this. It feels like I'm just lying to them about who I am the entire time. Not exactly the basis of a healthy relationship.”

“The Cobalt Soul isn't a secret.”

“No, but a lot of what I do is.”

“If they really care about you, they'll understand. Everyone comes with baggage. Part of being in a relationship is compromise.”

“Yeah, so what about you? Think you'll find the one waiting for you in Nicodranas?”

“My focus will be on my new store.”

“Not interested in love? Don't want to find someone to sweep you off your feet?”

“My last relationship did not end well. It would not be fair to enter into a relationship when I am uncertain about how I feel about everything. There is a lot to work through.”

“I know.” In her slightly drunken state, what was meant to be a reassuring nudge with her foot probably left a bruise on Caleb's leg. “We'll deal with all this new shit together, right? I'll have your back and you'll have mine.”

“Ja, we will.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos always greatly appreciated. You can find me on Tumblr ([SociallyAwkwardFoxWriter](http://sociallyawkwardfoxwriter.tumblr.com/)) or Twitter ([@AwkFoxy](https://twitter.com/AwkFoxy)).


	2. Chapter 1

The weight of Beau dropping onto the opposite end of the couch caused the old piece of furniture to creak dangerously. Beau didn't let that stop her from throwing her legs over the back of the couch as she slumped against the arm of it. She took a long drink from the bottle of beer, then turned her attention to the television with a heavy groan.

“Are you really watching this garbage?”

“There's nothing else on.” When Beau let out a snort of disbelief, Caleb tossed the remote at her free hand. “Good luck.”

After several long minutes of flipping through channels, Beau threw the remote aside and glared at the screen. “Roof?”

“There's already a cooler up there with more beer.”

“Awesome. I'll meet you up there. I'm going to change into something more comfortable.”

“Don't take too long in the shower. I'm not waiting on you to start.”

Instead of walking around the couch like a normal person, Beau dragged her body over the back to get to her room a little bit quicker. Caleb rolled his eyes at her retreating back as he rose from the couch with his beer in one hand and a book in the other. Before heading up the stairs, he dipped down to let Frumpkin jump onto his shoulders and settle around his neck. A content purr rumbled against his throat the entire time he walked up the stairs to the roof.

While he set his belongings down and tugged the cooler between their chairs, Frumpkin jumped off his shoulders to make himself comfortable on Beau's chair. Once he found the perfect spot, he curled up with his eyes watching the door as he waited for the monk to join them. As much as Beau liked to huff and puff about Frumpkin always taking her spots, the pets and treats she gave him told a completely different story. The two of them almost got along too well for Caleb's peace of mind.

“Again?” Beau plucked Frumpkin off the chair to sit, then let him curl up in her lap so she could pet him. “How were things at the store today?”

“Not too bad. Caduceus came by with a new tea for us to try. I put it in the cabinet.”

“Hopefully, this one will be better than the last.”

“Don't blame the tea for your poor taste.”

“My taste is excellent.”

“Thanks to a certain blue tiefling?”

“What? No. I've always had excellent taste.”

Caleb snorted into this bear bottle in a half-assed attempt to cover the sound of it. “That is a lie. You used to eat week old Chinese food when it belonged in the trash.”

“A week is not that long!”

“It's disgusting.”

“What about you? Has a handsome stranger strolled into the store? I'll check with Nott to make sure you're not lying to me.”

“We're not talking about me. But, for the record, there hasn't been some handsome stranger. I'm sure Nott would enlist your help if there was. Back to the topic at hand, have you had any luck with Jester?”

“That would require me telling her." The nervous scrapping at the label of her beer bottle gave away more of Beau's emotions than her face. "She invited you to the Halloween party they're doing at the Lavish Chateau. Something about it being ridiculous that she hasn't met you yet. I think she wants to introduce you to everyone. I told her you're not big on parties, but I'd ask.”

“What kind of party?”

“A masquerade ball. Her mom always throws a big thing for Halloween, so they'll be free food and alcohol.”

“I would like to meet Jester. It would be nice to get to know the person you talk about all the time.”

“I do not talk about her all the time.”

“Yesterday you spent thirty minutes telling me about your lunch date because Jester's hair looked perfect and she made a very funny joke. You should just ask her on a date instead of chickening out.”

“Are you trying to give me dating advice?”

“It's not dating advice. It's common sense. You are interested in her, so you should ask her out.”

A bottle cap smacked the side of his head hard enough to leave a small welt behind. “That's a terrible plan.”

“Why?”

“Because whenever I try, I sound like an absolute idiot.”

“I find that hard to believe.”

“There's no need for the sarcasm.”

“I wasn't being sarcastic. Whenever we go out for a drink, you always end up going home with someone else. I'd be hurt if I didn't get to witness the glory of you trying to sneak in the next morning. My favorite was when you tripped over the rug. That was a good morning.”

“Shut up.” With a heavy sigh, Beau flopped back in her chair and ignored his gaze by staring up at the stars. “That's different.”

“How so?”

“Asking Jester out would be...”

“Ah, well, if it makes you feel better, you're not the only one with commitment issues.”

“Yeah, but your commitment issues are because of years of trauma and abuse.”

“You have your own reasons. I still think you should consider asking Jester on a date. From what you've told me, asking her out on Halloween night at a masquerade would be like one of her romance novels. She would love it.”

“I'll think about it. If it goes wrong, you have to promise that I won't end up making a drunken fool of myself.”

“You expect me to be able to stop you?”

Before Beau answered, she paused for much longer than necessary. “Yasha will be there. Ask her to help you.”

“I can do that.”

“Thanks, Caleb.”

“We'll see if you still want to thank me next week.”

* * *

The repetitive task of restocking the shelves allowed Caleb's mind to wander instead of focusing on the world around him. Sometimes that led to staring into space reliving memories he'd rather forget, but he'd gotten better about that. His daydreaming tended to lead him down more pleasant avenues now, like the masquerade party next week. This would be the first party since he got out from under Trent's thumb, which was both thrilling and terrifying. He didn't have the slightest idea what to expect and Beau had been annoyingly vague on the details.

With an annoyed huff, he shoved the last book into place and returned to the counter to find Nott tossing a small ball up into the air. Her yellow eyes flicked over to him as the ball fell perfectly into her waiting hand. After putting the ball back in her pocket, she gestured for him to join her by patting the counter next to her. He leaned comfortably back against it and let his eyes survey the few customers wandering the shelves.

“Any problems?”

“Nothing I couldn't handle. Is something on your mind? You've been quieter than normal today.”

“Oh, it's nothing to be concerned about. Jester invited me to the Halloween party her mother is throwing so we can finally meet.”

“The pretty tiefling Beau has a gigantic crush on?” Nail dug into his forearm as Nott leaned excitedly forward to search for any sign that Caleb was messing with her. “How have the two of you not met yet? Beau talks about Jester all the time and you're like her brother. It's strange you haven't met Jester.”

“I think Beau has been putting it off on purpose.”

“Why would she do that?”

“Maybe she's embarrassed of me.”

“That seems very unlikely. You're smart and kind and great with people. There's no reason for her to be embarrassed of you.”

“Thank you, Nott. It's also possible that she has been putting it off because I know she wants to ask Jester on a date, and she doesn't want me to interfere.”

“You would not!”

Caleb gave a noncommittal shrug in response to the certainty in Nott's voice. “Beauregard is more than capable of handling her own business, but she has been tiptoeing around Jester. I think she'd be much happier if she told her.”

“She'll tell her when she's ready.”

“I suggested Halloween. All the book suggestions Jester has sent me through Beau have been romance novels where there's a magical declaration of love. Asking her on a date at a masquerade ball fits the bill.”

“Do you think Beau will actually do it?”

“She said she would, but I heard her psyching herself up in the bathroom to ask her out last week. Who knows? The mask might give her the confidence she needs.”

“Maybe.” A bony elbow nudged him playfully in the ribs as a soft smile appeared on Nott's face. “I'm a little jealous you're going to a party at the Lavish Chateau. I've heard they're some of the most incredible parties. The Ruby of the Sea goes all out for them. Fancy dress, food, music. She even performs for everyone to kick the night off.”

“That does sound amazing. I'll be sure to put in a good word for you. You could use another friend.”

“You don't need to do that, but I do need a picture of you all dressed up. You and Beau. Have you bought something to wear?”

“Ja, Beau insisted I go shopping with her, so she didn't want to blow her brains out when the store assistance tried to convince her a dress would be a better option.”

“You're going to look so handsome in a suit. All the signal people there will want to dance with you.”

“I doubt that.”

“That's because you don't realize how amazing you are. Anyone would be lucky to even have a chance with you. If you don't want to deal with people asking you to dance all night, I'm sure Cad would be happy to go with you. The two of you would make a cute couple.”

“Mr. Clay is a nice man, but I'm not interested in a date.”

“At least promise you'll try to have a good time. This party is supposed to be fun, so doing a little dancing and enjoy the evening.”

“I promise.” Caleb wrapped his pinky around the smaller one Nott held out to him. “Just for you. I'll do my best to enjoy the evening.”

* * *

“This is so uncomfortable. I look like an idiot.” With a scowl, Beau tugged at the collar of her shirt causing her tie to skew to the side. “Why did I think this was a good idea? Do you think it's too late to tell Jester we can't make it?”

“We are not going to do that. It would be rude.”

“What if I was sick?”

“You're not sick or unable to come. That's exactly why it would be rude to lie to her. Plus, you would feel bad for upsetting her.”

“She would understand.”

“That doesn't mean it wouldn't upset her to hear you wouldn't be able to make it.”

Beau bit her lip as she adjusted the tie to rest down the center of her shirt once more. “We should go or we're going to be late.”

After one more check in the mirror, Beau strode across the room to grab her keys and the polished white shoes next to the door. She didn't bother to put the shoes on as she exited the house with her jacket still unbuttoned and determination clear in her purposeful walk. Before leaving the house, Caleb glanced at his own appearance to be sure his hair hadn't become a mess in the hour since he did it. He forced a practiced smile on his face, then let it fade away. No one would be watching to make sure he kept up appearances among the honored guests tonight. There would be no need for fake smiles or pretty words.

The honking of a horn drew his attention away from his reflection in the mirror that looked nothing like the man he used to be. His shoes clicked against the wood tile floor as he crossed the room to grab a small boutonniere he hid in a drawer Beau never looked in, then hurried to the car. Despite her obvious tension, Beau didn't chastise him for taking too long to join her. Her fingers tightened around the steering wheel before she reached to put the car into drive. On autopilot, Beau navigated their way through the streets of Nicodranas to the front of a fantastically decorated Lavish Chateau.

An attendant waiting to greet them helped open their doors, then took the keys to park the vehicle for them. While some people milled about in front of the building, most were headed up the decorated steps to join the party. After putting on his mask, Caleb turned to Beau with the boutonniere held up for her to see and waited for her to give a nod. The white lily stood out against the deep blue of her suit giving a slight pop of color to her otherwise monochrome outfit.

“Thanks, Caleb. We should head in.”

“Wait.” Before Beau could start for the Lavish Chateau, Caleb pulled out his phone to take a quick picture of them. “Nott made me promise.”

“Fine, but that's the only picture you're getting.”

They made their way up the steps past a wide variety of individuals-some in clothing and mask so elegant the exuberance of their price was obvious, others in modest outfits and masks they decorated themselves. A few people caught his attention, but he didn't bother to do more than glance their direction as he walked past. The staff waiting by the front door greeted them with bright smiles, then pulled open the doors to the Lavish Chateau. Caleb nearly stopped in his tracks at the wondrous sight before him.

Beautiful decorations covered every inch of the huge entryway that lead further into the Lavish Chateau. Strings of golden fairy lights and deep red hanging silks covered the walls while flowers of various colors floated through the air. As soon as they entered the ballroom, Caleb saw tables surrounding a large dance floor in the middle of the room and large stage with a band playing classical music. Waiters in gold and white outfits carrying trays of champagne flutes and hors d'oeuvres weaved their way through the partygoers. It was more elegant and sophisticated than any of the fancy parties he'd been to previously.

“I'm going to get a drink and find Jester. Don't get lost.”

“We just got here and you're already ditching me?”

“What? Did you want a dance before I go?”

Caleb looked at Beau with a raised eyebrow, then went back to surveying the room. “Do you even know how to dance?”

“Of course, I do, dick.”

“Then you should go find someone to dance with.”

“You should find someone else to take you home.”

As she made her way across the room, Beau snatched a glass from the tray of a passing waiter with her head on the swivel. Rather than keep an eye on her, Caleb took the opportunity to scope the crowd for anyone he might want to avoid. When no one jumped out at him, his attention turned to the many dancers spinning their way around the dance floor. It'd been too long since he last shared a dance with someone that didn't involve drinking on a rooftop with shitty music playing in the background.

“Something on your mind, stranger?” A handsome half-orc wearing an all-black suit and sea foam green mask with nautical themes decorating it stood next to him. “It can be a lot to take in.”

“It is beautiful.”

“Marion doesn't know how to do things by half. These parties get more and more elaborate each year. It's always an impressive sight.”

“You come to these often?”

“I'm a friend of the family.” The half-orc held out a hand that looked roughened by years of hard work for a handshake. “The name's Fjord. It's a pleasure to meet you.”

“Ah, you are one of Beau's new friends. It is good to finally meet you.”

“You must be Caleb.”

“Ja. I take it Beau has spoken of me.”

“All the time. I thought the two of you were siblings for a while. That got a good chuckle out of Beau when I mentioned it to her.”

“Not surprising. I bet she made fun of you for it.”

“Only a little.”

“That does not sound like the Beauregard I know.”

The hint of a smile began to glance along Fjord's lip as he raised a curious eyebrow. “Does she know you call her that?”

“It annoys her to no end.”

“I'm guessing the two of you came together. Where's she run off to?”

“She's looking for Jester.”

“Ah, that would be her first order of business. How long have you been waiting for her to get back?”

“Long enough to be easily convinced there are much more interesting things I could be doing instead of waiting around for our friends to show their faces.”

“In that case,” Fjord stepped in front of him to give a bow, then motioned to the dance floor with a swiping hand. “would you care to dance?”

“After you.”

Gentle fingers wrapped around his hand to led him through the people standing just outside the dance floor. As soon as Fjord reached their destination, he turned on his heel and placed his free hand lightly on Caleb's waist. After moving his hand to Fjord's shoulder, the half-orc began to spin them around the other dancers. They easily moved along to the music filling the ballroom even when the tempo suddenly picked up.

“You are quite the dancer.” The mask covering half Fjord's face made it difficult to see his expression at the compliment, but the fact he stayed meant he didn't take it too poorly. “That is a valuable skill to have.”

“Really? I can't say it's come in handy too often. The only reason I know how is because Jester forced me to learn before the first party I attended. She made a whole thing out of it. She made a training schedule and everything.”

“How long have you and Jester been friends?”

“Oh, four or five years now? Somewhere 'round there, I think. We met when I caught her trying to change the name of the ship I was working on at the time to something... well, let's just say wildly inappropriate. Instead of turning her in, I bribed her with sweet in return for leaving our ship name be.”

“Beau has mentioned she's something of a prankster.”

“That's a bit of an understatement. You should ask her about the Platinum House in Zadash.”

“It sounds like she should never meet my friend, Nott. The two of them would undoubtedly get up to shenanigans that would land them in jail.”

“We probably won't have much of a choice on that one. Jester has been talking about meeting you all week and how we're all going to be the best of friends. She already has plans for dinner Friday at some new Italian restaurant. Says we're going to all be there and it will be the best time. Fjord, get that look off your face. Everyone is going to love the idea and want to come and have a good time.”

“That sounds like quite the plan.”

As the song came to an end, their dancing slowed to a stop with their hands still clasped for the next. “Fair warning, Jester is known to go a little overboard. She means well, but it can be a bit much for some people. Just know her heart is in the right place.”

“I don't doubt it. From what Beau tells me, she is something else.”

A soft snort fell from Fjord's lips as the next song started up and their feet moved together once more. “Well, I wouldn't believe everything Beau says about her. Anyone that sees the two of them together knows Beau is head over heels for Jester.”

“Believe me, I'm very aware. Beau talks about how much she likes her all the time.”

“Really? It's good to hear she's acknowledged it at the very least. I was worried she was keeping it to herself.”

“There is certainly no need to worry about that.”

“Good to know. In that case, I won't feel bad about teasing her about her crush during our workouts.”

“Don't tell her I was the one that told her that or she'll be rude about it.”

“Yeah, I'm working on that.” The grin that suddenly appeared on Fjord's face reached all the way to his eyes. “Have any of my lessons been working? I told her she should work on giving you a hug to show that she cares about you.”

“That has yet to happen, but I will be sure to give you the results as soon as it does.”

“Thank you kindly.”

They trailed into silence for the next few songs, until Caleb's eye caught a familiar individual wearing a blue suit. At Beau's side, a blue skinned tiefling wearing a sparkling green dress and a bright white mask with a symbol of a door on both sides skipped down the stairs. Even at a distance, Caleb could tell a faint blush dusted the cheeks hidden below Beau's mask when Jester looped their arms together.

“Want to join them or finish this song?”

“As much as I enjoy the dancing, I have waited a very long time to meet Jester. Perhaps we could pick this up later?”

“I'll be sure to save you at least one dance. Plus, it's about time I find Molly and Yasha. It'd been a while since they've been in town and we need to catch up. If Jester asks, I'm wearing exactly what she picked out for me. It should be easy to find me.”

“No need to worry about that. I never forget a thing.”

“Well, if I do get lost in the crowd, I'm sure Molly will stick out enough you won't be able to miss us.” After one more twirl, Fjord pulled away to give a deep bow with one hand still holding Caleb's as he dipped down. “Thank you for the honor of dancing. I look forward to getting at least one more in before the night is over.”

“I should be the one thanking you. I would still be standing around if you had not offered to dance.”

“It was absolutely my pleasure. You're a wonderful dance partner. The best I've had.”

“What would Jester think if she heard you say that?”

“Don't know. Guess it'll stay our secret.”

With a wink, Fjord finally released his hand and took several steps back before turning around to weave his way off the dance floor. Before he could get swept up in the dancers around him, Caleb made his way toward the staircase Beau and Jester came down. When he spotted the two standing next to a long table covered in an assortment of food, he gave a small wave of greeting. While Beau only nodded in acknowledgment, Jester excitedly waved back at him.

“Caleb this is Jester. Jester this is Caleb.”

“Oh, my gosh. It's so good to finally meet you. Beau has told me a lot of things about you. I already know we're going to be good friends.”

“It is nice to meet you, too.”

“I was just telling Beau that it would be easier to get to know each other better if we went to dinner together. You know, somewhere a little quieter where it's easier to talk. It would be so much fun, and you could invite your friends Nott and Caduceus. We could all be friends!”

“How could I possibly say no to an offer like that?”

“See, Beau! I told you he would want to come.” Jester clapped her hands together with a wide smile on her face as she stood on her tiptoes to get closer to his face. “Are you free on Friday? There's a new Italian restaurant opening near the docks and-”

“Fjord mentioned something about that.”

“You met Fjord! Where did he go? I haven't seen him. He better not be hiding from me.”

“He went to find Molly and Yasha.”

Once again, Jester's eyes lit up in excitement. “We should go find them before my mom's performance. It is going to be super cool and we should all watch it together from the best spot. Come on, Beau and Caleb!”

* * *

“Fancy meeting you here.” The space next to him on the railing was suddenly filled by another person leaning against it. “Needed some air?”

“It is a bit... much.”

“I agree with you there. When I came for my first one, I had just gotten back for a few months on the sea. It was a lot of people to be around. I think I spent most of my time out here. Even this far in, you can smell the sea and feel the breeze.”

“Beau mentioned you used to be a sailor. Did you enjoy it?”

“For the most part. When I first started, there were some days I wished I decided to stay on land, but after a while the ocean became my home. The few days we would stay docked started to become the strange ones.”

“Do you miss it?”

“Some days. Living on a boat means you get used to being around a lot of people. It took a bit to get used to living on my own again and not feel the rocking of the water all the time. Jester, Molly and Yasha helped a lot. They grounded me when I started to feel like I was lost.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Caleb caught a melancholy expression written on Fjord's face. “I understand that. If Beau had not been there for me, I am not sure what I would have done. There were many times I felt lost. I did not know what I should be doing, but Beau helped me keep looking forward.”

“From what she's told me, you've doing pretty well for yourself. I keep meaning to stop by your shop to check it out, but haven't been to that part of town in a while.”

“Are you a fan of book?”

“Well,” Fjord sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. “not really. It's not that I dislike reading because I don't mind it. I just-”

“Fjord, reading isn't for everyone. Nott doesn't care for it either.”

“Really?”

“She only works for me because she enjoys my company. I don't know why she decided that would be enough of a reason to be surrounded by books all day, but she did.”

“I can think of a few reasons. Meeting you has definitely given me more reason to make sure I find my way there.”

“Stop by around closing and we can spend time in Cad's tea shop instead of surrounded by books.”

“Would that mean getting a private tour of the shop?”

“There's really not much to it. The main shop is full of books and so is the storage room. It's a small place.”

“I'd still like to see what you've managed to do with all your hard work.”

“If you insist, I think I can manage a private tour.”

“I'm honored, truly.”

The sincerity of Fjord's tone caused a warmth to grow in the center of Caleb's chest. “I am always happy to talk about books. Beauregard has undoubtedly complained to you about it.”

“She did mention something, but she had that look on her face that said she was just complaining to complain. I'm pretty sure she mentioned reading a few of your recommendations and enjoying them.”

“That is news to me, but it does explain why I've had books mysteriously go missing for a few days. It is good to know she took me up on my offer to use them if she would like."

“She always has at least one book in her bag.” After fading into silence for several long seconds, Fjord straightened up and turned to face Caleb. “It's been a pleasure getting to know you tonight. I wish we had the opportunity to meet sooner than tonight.”

“The feeling is mutual. I look forward to getting to know you better.”

“Me too. I'll see you on Friday?”

“Ja, on Friday.”

With a large smile on his face, Fjord picked up the hand Caleb had resting on the balcony. “I can't wait. Can I still get that dance, or do you need to find Beau before she leaves you here?”

"It would be rude to go back on a promise. Beau can wait.”

"I'll make sure you get home if she doesn't.”

* * *

After kicking off his shoes and placing his mask on the table, Caleb dropped onto the lounge chair and patted his lap for Frumpkin to join him. His cat accepted the invitation to curl up on him, then immediately began purring when he ran a hand down Frumpkin's back. Cool wind smelling of salt water blew across the rooftop causing the chimes Caduceus made them to ring against each other. The noise from it almost covered the sound of Beau joining him on the roof in the other lounge chair.

“I don't think I've ever danced that much before in my life. How did you put up with that?”

“It's a lot easier when you don't have to worry about people stabbing you in the back or twisting your words to their advantage. Just getting to enjoy a night of dance is easy.”

“Yeah, I noticed you danced with Fjord a lot tonight. What is going on what that?” The sound of scrapping against the floor drew his attention to Beau pulling her chair closer to his. “It looked like the two of you were getting along really well.”

“I'll tell you if you tell me what happened with you and Jester tonight.”

“Nothing happened. She was so happy I didn't want to ruin her night by making things awkward.”

“Or you could have made her night.”

“Shut up. Now it's your turn.”

“He came up to introduce himself. We spoke. He asked me to dance and we did. It is not that complicated.”

“You both disappeared off to the balcony for a while.”

He let out an annoyed huff at the probing, but let the obvious interrogation pass without comment. “I didn't realize you were watching us that closely.”

“It's kind of habit at this point to keep a close eye on you when we're in public.”

“Thank you for looking out for me.”

“So?”

“So what?”

“What happened on the balcony?”

“Oh, that. We talked. Apparently, you have been taking my book recommendations very seriously. You know I am always happy to discuss literature with you.”

“Why did I think it was a good idea for you to meet any of them?” Beau slumped down in her chair with her arms crossed over her chest. “I can't believe Jester thinks all of us having dinner together in public is a good idea. Molly is going to make things as uncomfortable as possible.”

“Does he know?”

“Of course, he does. He's Molly. He makes it his business to figure out other people's business for the hell of it.”

“Don't stare at Jester like she is most incredible person in the universe all night and I'm sure he will leave you alone.”

“Very funny. Maybe, I'll give him something else to keep an eye on and he'll leave me alone. I'm sure he'd love to figure out what's going on with you and Fjord since you don't want to tell me.”

“We just met, Beauregard. Nothing is going on.”

“But you'd tell me if there were?”

“Who else would I tell?”

“Nott? Cad?”

With their chairs so close, it was easy to wrap his arm around Beau's shoulders so they could rest against each other. “Fjord is very nice. I understand why the two of you are friends. It is good to know you have other people you can rely on here.”

“Yes, he is. That's why it wouldn't surprise me if the two of you hit it off. You're a lot alike.”

“If we do, I will be sure to tell you first.”

“Even before Fjord?”

“Ja, especially before Fjord because, you know, it is hard for me to trust, but I trust you. I would tell you first.”

“There's no need to get sappy.”

“I'm going to tell Fjord that you need more lessons.”

“Fuck you, Widogast.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos always greatly appreciated. You can find me on Tumblr ([SociallyAwkwardFoxWriter](http://sociallyawkwardfoxwriter.tumblr.com/)) or Twitter ([@AwkFoxy](https://twitter.com/AwkFoxy)).


	3. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for not getting a chapter out last week! I put a lot of focus into getting fics done for Widofjord Week. I want to make sure I have them done in time, so the next update might take two weeks as well.

“How was last night? Was it as amazing as people say it was? Did you actually get to meet the Ruby of the Sea?”

“Calm down, Nott.” After blowing on the steaming liquid in his mug, Caleb took a drink of Cad's newest tea creation. “This good. You should try it.”

“I'll wait for it to cool off. Now, spill the beans! I want to hear all about it.”

“Jester's mother has excellent taste. The decorations were gorgeous.”

“Did you meet her?”

“No, she was busy entertaining. I did meet Jester. She invited us to dinner on Friday.”

“Us?”

“Ja, you and me and Caduceus. She thinks it would be best that we all meet and get to know each other better.”

“I can't wait to meet her. She sounds nice.”

“She is. I think the two of you will get along well. She is a bit of a troublemaker, too.”

An excited smile lit up Nott's face as she leaned across the table. “Really?”

“She made someone think their food was magically disappearing from their plate, then she convinced someone that their hair would look better bubble gum pink and offered to help dye it.”

“I can't wait to meet her. What about Beau's other friends? Were any of them there? What are their names?”

“Molly, Yasha and Fjord, and I did meet them all. They were all very welcoming. I'm sure you will enjoy meeting all of them as well.”

“Does that mean you had a good night?”

“It was an enjoyable night. I think Beau and I both enjoyed ourselves.”

“Beau mentioned there was dancing. Did you dance with anyone?”

“A few people.” Scrutinizing eyes narrowed at him, until he finally caved under the weight of Nott's gaze. “Most of the night was spent dancing with one individual.”

“Really?”

“He was a gentleman and a decent dancer. It made for a pleasant evening.”

“Did you get this gentleman's number? Will he be dropping by the store soon to see you?”

“We will see him on Friday at dinner.”

Narrowed eyes went wide as the pieces clicked into place. “Which one of them? The carnival one or sailor boy?”

“Is that what you've been calling them?”

“Am I wrong?”

“Fjord is no longer a sailor or a boy.”

“And a good dancer?”

The innocent question had an underlying tone that gave Caleb pause. “What are you really asking?”

“How close of an eye do I need to keep on Fjord at dinner? I want to make sure he's not just playing the part of a gentleman. His intentions better be-”

“Nott, I think you are blowing this a bit out of proportion. It was one evening of dancing and getting to know each other. Fjord did not convince me to run away together.”

“Did he want to?”

“You are being ridiculous.”

“I'm just trying to look out for you. I don't want some handsome guy that doesn't deserve you to just sweep you off your feet because their charm and dancing skills.”

“It is very unlikely that will ever happen, but I appreciate the concern.”

“I'll ask Beau for details.” Before he could argue, Nott hopped off her chair with her phone already in hand. “I'm going to make a call. Promise I'll be back before the store opens.”

* * *

The empty chair next to him scrapped against the floor drawing his from his book to the half-orc smiling down at him. While Fjord got himself settled, Caleb quickly shoved the book in his bag hanging over the back of his chair. He hadn't expected anyone else to show up so early to dinner, but the company was appreciated. The stares he received from the other patrons for reading alone at a huge table was beginning to make his skin itch at the attention. They'd have no reason to stare now that Fjord joined him.

“Fancy meeting you here.”

“It is good to see you again.”

“Likewise.” The smile on Fjord's face looked so genuine, Caleb couldn't resist returning it. “What are you doing here so early? I thought I'd be the only one here for a while.”

“I didn't feel the need to return to my apartment before dinner and didn't have anything else I needed to do, so I thought I'd make my way here. What about you?”

“Same. I actually thought I'd be a little late because I took another shift, but my boss let me leave earlier than expected. It's good to see I'm not the only one here. I thought I'd have to wait awkwardly at the bar.”

“Hanging out at the bar seems significantly less awkward than me sitting at a table for eight people reading.”

Fjord gave a snort that he quickly covered up with a cough. “It's not that strange.2

“It is a little strange, but I'd rather not chance a conversation at the bar. Today has been... very long.”

“Really? Did something happen?”

“We had a few difficult customers today. Nothing that Nott or I couldn't handle, but it made work more exhausting than normal.”

“I get what you mean. There are a few captains that I always know to expect a hard time from. They drag their feet for every little thing, and it makes the entire process more frustrating. I always make sure I have alcohol waiting for me at home when they're scheduled to come into port.”

“Nott does the same.”

“What about you? What do you normally do to unwind after a day like today?”

“Read and pet my cat.”

“Frumpkin, right? Beau always talking about him.”

“She likes to steal him away from me.” Fjord gave a low laugh that rumbled out of his chest. “It is true. I have seen her trying to sneak into my study to steal him away. She thinks she is getting away with it, but I always catch her.”

“She mentioned something about him being magic. Is that true or just Beau spouting bullshit?”

“He is a little magical.”

“Really?”

“Ja, really. He is not exactly a normal cat.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“You ask a lot of questions.”

A small blush darkened Fjord's cheeks as he rubbed at the back of his neck in embarrassment. “Sorry. I've always been fascinated by magic and I haven't met a lot of people that can do it.”

“If you're really interested in it, I could recommend a few books that you might enjoy. There's plenty of literature on the subject and not all of it is as boring as people make it out to be.”

“If it's not any trouble, I'd really appreciate that. And, I'd still like to hear more about your cat if you don't mind telling.”

“He is technically not a cat. He is a fey creature that likes to take the form of a cat, which means he spends more of his time as a cat. I could change him into another animal if I wanted to, but he is comfortable as is.”

“How did you end up with a fey creature that likes to be a cat?”

“He is my familiar.”

“That's really interesting.”

“I agree. My cat is the best cat.”

“I'll have to take your word for it.” When Caleb raised a questioning eyebrow, Fjord continued speaking. “I'm allergic to cats. A little cat fur and I'm sneezing all over the place. I didn't even realize it, until I was looking for an apartment here and one of the potential roommates I found had one. We got five minutes into a tour of the place and my eyes were watering. He thought something was wrong with me.”

“That is unfortunate to hear because cats amazing and my cat is the best.”

“But he's a fey.”

“Ja, but when he is a cat, he is a cat. He's just a little different from normal cats.”

“Well, even if he makes me sneeze, I'd still like to meet him. He sounds incredible.”

“Maybe one day.”

“Fjord! Caleb!” The loud sound of Jester's voice drew the attention of the other patrons, but the tiefling didn't seem at all bothered by it. “You're both here! Are you excited for dinner? It's going to be amazing. I heard this place is super good.”

“We're very excited, Jester. Where's Beau? I thought she was picking you up?”

“She did. There wasn't a good place to park, so she dropped me off at the front and told me get the table. We had no idea you two would be here! Did you come together? I didn't know the two of you are such good friends now.”

“We didn't, but we both got here early. We figured we might as well get the table for everyone.”

“That's really nice. Thank you!”

“Of course, Jester.”

With a smile, Jester dropped into a sit across from Caleb and placed her elbows on the table to make a rest out of her hands to place her chin on. “Hello, Caleb.”

“Hello, Jester.”

“How has your week been? Did you get any cool books in?”

“It was good. I didn't get anything for you this week, but there's something coming in next week I think you'll enjoy.”

“Really?” Her smile grew wider as she leaned forward across the table. “Do you think I could come pick it up this time? I know you normally give it to Beau, but I want to see what Fireside Books looks like. I bet it's super cool and full of books!”

“It is a public shop. You are welcome to stop by whenever it is open, but do not rearrange the books.”

“I would never do that to you, Caleb.”

“Thank you, Jester.”

“Of course. It's the least I can do after all the really good books you've given me. Plus, there's a shop across the street that the Traveler told me about that will be much better for that.”

* * *

“They're hitting it off well.” Caleb glanced up from his food to see Jester and Nott with their head bent together as they whispered low enough the rest of the table wouldn't overhear. “Should we be concerned about that?”

“Probably, but I'd prefer not to get caught in the crossfire.”

“Can't blame you for that. Although, I wouldn't put it past them to get all of us arrested doing something crazy.”

“I plan to be back home well before they reach that point.”

“That sounds like a good plan. Normally, I'm the one that drives Jester around, but I don't have to worry about that tonight. Mind if I join you in ditching them before things get crazy?”

“Not at all. If you still wanted that private tour of the shop, we could drop by there and I could give you those books on magic I mentioned.”

“If it's not too much trouble, that would be amazing.”

“Not at all.”

While he planned to return his attention to his meal, movement out of the corner of his eyes caught his attention. Nott had her eyes narrowed as she looked between him and Fjord with a calculating expression on her face. When she noticed him watching her, she put a big smile on her face until he looked down. As soon as he took a bite of food, Nott's focus went entirely to Fjord.

“So, Fjord, it's nice to meet you.” Her toothy grin looked more threatening than normal as she leaned forward with a knife in hand. “Caleb told me the two of you had fun at the Halloween party.”

“It was a fun night.”

“What else do you do for fun?”

“When I can find the time, I enjoy sailing.”

Nott's face wrinkled up in disgust at Fjord's words. “Gross. Water is the worst.”

“It's not that bad. Like anything else, it can be dangerous if you don't respect what it's capable of, but there's plenty to enjoy if you keep that in mind.”

“Water should never be trusted.”

“Well, I'll be sure to never invite you on a sailing trip. What about you? What do you do for fun?”

“I make potions and poison and spend time with my family and Caleb.”

“Poisons?”

“Yes.” The underlining threat in her voice had Caleb fighting the urge to drop his head in his head in embarrassment at the obvious attempt to scare Fjord. “It's not hard to get what you need to make them.”

“That's very interesting. I can't say I've ever met anyone with an interest in poisons.”

Before Nott could continue the line of conversation, Caleb cleared his throat to divert attention away. “She is also interested in picking locks and pockets. Nott has a wide variety of interests. Perhaps, we should discuss something more fitting for dinner conversation.”

An annoyed huff fell from Nott's lips, but she didn't try to push the conversation or continue her interrogation. She simply gave Fjord one last long look of distrust, then tuned into Jester and Beau's debate on whether cakes or cupcakes were a better dessert. He held back a sigh of relief at the shift in focus in the hopes no one would pick up on Nott's intentions. A low whisper in his ear nearly jolted him out of his chair in surprise.

“Is there something going on between the two of you?” Even though it came out as a whisper, Caleb's eyes scanned the table for anyone that might have heard Molly's question. “No judgement here. I'm just curious.”

“There is nothing going on. She asked me how the party went, and I mentioned that we did some dancing. She drew her own conclusions.”

“Well, if you decide there is something going on between you, I'm always happy to lend an ear or give advice. The two of you would make a lovely couple.”

“Thank you for the offer, Mollymauk.”

“I'm always happy to help a young couple out.”

“If you're looking to help a young couple, I think you should be offering your services to Beauregard. I have tried to help her with Jester, but she always chickens out.”

A low chuckle fell from Molly's lips as he leaned back in his chair with a smile dancing on his lips. “Believe me, I've done what I can for them as well, but my business takes me out of town too often to be of much help. Beau is a bit of a disaster and Jester has spent most of her life listening to fairy tales about princess and knights. She had a crush on Fjord for a long while. Hopefully, now that she's moved past it, she'll be able to see other options available to her.”

“Is she interested in woman?”

“Yes, so don't worry. Beau isn't chasing her tail here. If she ever decides to make a move, she has as good of a chance as anyone else.”

“That is good to know, and it is good to know that so many people are looking out for her. I know she can be a bit abrasive, but she has a good heart and cares deeply for the people she gets close to.”

“How long have the two of you been together? I can never get a straight answer from her.”

“Oh, about a year now. Our meeting and friendship started on the unconventional side.”

“We're all about unconventional here.” Molly gave a sweeping gesture to his vibrant appearance. “I don't imagine it'll be that out of place.”

“It is also a bit of a... confidential matter.”

“Really? Are you secretly part of the Cobalt Soul?”

“No. I'm not part of the Cobalt Soul, but we met through it. That is all I can tell you.”

“Whatever is in the past, is your own business. I'm not going to pry.”

“Thank you, Mollymauk.”

“What are friends for?”

“Is that what we are?”

“Oh, maybe not yet, but we'll all get there.”

Caleb let his gaze drift over the everyone crowded around the table having pleasant conversation and enjoying their evening. “You are probably right. We do seem to be quite the group.”

* * *

“Thank you for doing this.” After shutting and locking the door behind them, Caleb flicked on the lights to illuminate the space. “This is incredible. It's so cozy.”

“If the space were a bit bigger, I would've put in a reading nook.”

“I think people would've enjoyed that.”

“So, do I. It was nice when Caduceus moved in next door. People will buy a book here, then hang out in his tea shop to read it or they'll get a tea from him and spend their time browsing my shelves while they drink it. It has been good for business.”

“It certainly sounds like a nice way to spend your time. I wish I were more of a reader, but I get fidgety and can't focus.”

“Not everyone is a reader. It's also possible you've never read the right books.”

“The right ones?”

Rather than immediately explain, he motioned for Fjord to follow him behind the counter to the small storage room. While most of the space was overflowing with boxes of books that needed to be shelves, he kept some of his personal collection on a shelf above the small desk crammed in the back corner. He pulled off a few basic arcane volumes, then turned back to Fjord with the three books clutched to his chest.

“Jester enjoys reading smutty romance novels. She's put in a few requests through Beau and I've selected a few based on her tastes. She like drama and adventure and fantasy. I'd never suggest she read a historical piece about the rise of the Empire. Reading doesn't need to be educational or tell a valuable lesson. Reading done purely for enjoyment is a good thing.”

“I can't say I've done much of that.”

“Hopefully, you'll enjoy these. If you don't, I could answer some of your questions instead. They're all basic texts, but they cover different topics: history, theory, practical application.”

“Thank you, Caleb. Magic has always interested me, but I've never known where to start.”

“There's a lot more than the arcane. If you're interested in magic in a boarder sense, I could look into books that cover other aspects.”

“This seems like a good starting place, but I might take you up on that offer some other time.”

“I'm always happy to help.”

“In that case,” Fjord nervously bit his lip, but pushed on without prompting. “There is something else I've been looking for. I'm not sure if you have any books on the topic, but it doesn't hurt to ask.”

“Not at all. What are you looking for?”

“Information on the Wildmother.”

A thoughtful hum fell from Caleb's lips as he considered the request. “There's nothing in stock solely about the Wildmother. A few of the texts on the gods might have entries on her, but nothing extensive. I can look into books that might have what you're looking for.”

“I wouldn't want to waste your time like that.”

“It would not be wasting my time. I do it frequently. Customers come in all the time looking for a specific book or topic. I help them out and find a new book I can stock the shelves with.”

“If it's not too much trouble.”

“It isn't. In the meantime, you should speak to Caduceus. He's been a follower of the Wildmother since he was born. He might be able to give you more answers than a book ever could.”

“I'll be sure to do that. You've been a huge help, Caleb. I don't know how to thank you enough for all of this.”

“We are friends now. This is what friends do.”

“I'll find a way to make it up to you.” With a charming smile, Fjord took the books from Caleb's arms. “Now, I won't take up more of your time. I'm sure you'd like to get home.”

“It is getting late, and I need to be back here for opening tomorrow morning.”

“Home it is.”

After making sure all lights were turned out, Caleb closed and locked the door behind them. “Do you need a ride?”

“My place is only a few blocks away. I can walk.”

“It is late. I'd feel better if you allowed me to give you a ride.”

“It'd be rude not to accept if it'll cause you worry.”

Caleb gave a brisk nod, then motioned for Fjord to follow him to the side street where he parked his car. The low light from the streetlamps did little to stop the eeriness of the silent street, but they gave enough light to guide them. Once they were both buckled in, Caleb followed Fjord's directions through the twisting streets of Nicodranas. When they came to a stop in front of a modest looking apartment complex, Fjord hesitated exiting the car.

“Caleb?”

“Yes?”

“I've enjoyed the time we've spent together. I'm not sure about you, but I'd like to find time to get to know each other better.”

“I would as well.”

Fjord gave him a little smile, then pulled his phone out of his pocket and held it out. “It might be best to exchange number that way we can figure out a time. I'm sure Jester will rope you into a group chat, but those can get a little hectic.”

“That is good to know.” After adding his phone number, he handed the phone back to Fjord.

“I'll text you when I get a chance, so you can have mine. Promise.”

“I believe you.”

“Good. Thank you again for all of these and the Wildmother information. I really appreciate it.”

“You're welcome, Fjord. Have a good night.”

“You too.”

With the books tucked securely under his arm, Fjord exited the car and headed up the stairs to the building. Before driving off, Caleb waited for Fjord to enter and received a quick way for his troubles before he disappeared from view. The drive home flew by quicker than his normal drive without the stream of people trying to get home from work. As he pulled into the driveway, a ding filled the car and his phone lit up in the cup holder. A single text showed on the screen with Fjord's name and another thank you that Caleb rolled his eyes at.

* * *

“Do you ever miss it?”

“Miss what?” Caleb placed his book down on his desk, then turned to watch Beau doing push-ups with Frumpkin on her back.

“I don't know. When things were simpler?”

“Simpler in what way?”

“I know you don't like to talk about it but weren't things easier with Ikithon. You knew what your goals were and had a purpose.”

“Other than the torture, I suppose it was simpler. I didn't do much thinking for myself. All I had to do was whatever he told. Much simpler.”

“Shit, man. I didn't mean-”

“I know, Beauregard. Things were a lot simpler, and because of that I lost a lot. I thought I was doing what I wanted, but I know now that's not the truth. If I had to pick between then and now, I'd choose now every time. It's been a long time since I've had friends and... family. It is hard work, but it is worth it.”

“I guess you have a point.”

After a few moments of silence, Caleb slid from his chair to join Beau on the floor with his legs crossed and body tipped to the side in an attempt to catch her eyes. “Is there a reason you brought that up? It is not like you to drop a topic so easily.”

“It's nothing.”

“That is a load of bullshit. If you don't want to talk about it, that is fine. I'd prefer you didn't like to me.”

“Yeah, sorry.” Instead of continuing to do push-ups, Beau shifted to match his position on the floor. “Before the Cobalt Soul, I got into all kinds of trouble because I didn't want to be who my parents wanted me to be. I rebelled against all their wishes, then left for the Cobalt Soul when I got the chance. I still fought back against a lot of their demands, but I grew to, I don't know, respect some of them. Things felt easier there. I constantly had something to do. There wasn't time for getting to know people and I didn't want to.”

“Allowing people into your life after shutting them out for so long can be difficult. It's hard to tear down those walls when you spend so long building them up.”

“When they sent me here, I thought it was going to be more of the same. Get sent on missions, come back, do whatever crap they need done, then do it all over again. I didn't think I'd spend so much time here or I'd get to know the people involved in my assignments.”

“Is that such a bad thing?”

“It's not bad. It just feels like a big change and I don't know how to feel about it. Most of the time I don't stop to think about it, but there are times where it just catches up.”

“Maybe, you've realized you can stop running and you're not sure how to handle that.”

“I wasn't running.”

“Beauregard, you don't have to physically be running to be running from something. You've been running since I've met you. That's probably why we've managed to get along so well. I've done a lot of running too, but I think we both have something good here. It might not have been what we were expecting, but it's good.”

“And if we ruin it?”

“How do you imagine it'll be ruined?”

Beau shrugged her shoulders and picked at a loose string on her pants. “I don't know. Things are good, until they fall apart, you know?”

“Ja, I know, but it's easier to deal with when you have other people looking out for you.”

“What do you do if those people are the reason things fall apart?”

“We do what we always do. We pick ourselves up and do it all over again. As much as we act like being distant is easy, we're both bleeding hearts.”

“Why did I think it was a good idea to have this conversation without alcohol?”

“No idea, but I think we are doing okay.”

“Yeah, I guess we are. You're definitely doing better than I expected.”

“The change of scenery has been good for me and having something to do helps.”

“You've seemed happier, and Nott cares about you a lot. The best part is I'm not the only one that has to listen to you blab on about books now.” A playful punch to his leg sent a spike of pain that he glared at Beau for, but she didn't look at all bad about it.

“You can keep acting like you don't enjoy it, but I'm not the only one that enjoys reading around here. My books have mysteriously gone missing, then returned to my shelves. I know it's not Frumpkin doing it.”

“I don't know what you're talking about.”

“That's very strange. In that case, there must be someone frequently breaking in to steal books that they always return. Very strange.”

“Nicodranas is a strange place.”

“Which is why you fit in so well.”

“Says the guy that started putting down roots before we even got here.”

While he didn't dwell on it, Nicodranas was so different from where he lived in the past it was easy to move forward. “This is a good place. The weather is nice and so are the people. It is a good place to be.”

“So, you keep saying.”

“Because it is true. The store has done well, we have friends, Frumpkin enjoys it here.”

“Dude, you're so weird about you cat.”

“He is the best cat.”

“Never heard that before. Did you tell Fjord that last night?”

“Of course, I did, but he is allergic to cats. I will have to see if there is something I can do about that.”

“Why? Is Fjord going to be spending time here? Should I be figuring out places to go to leave the two of you alone?”

“We will be spending more time together, but there is no reason you couldn't join us.”

“That's good, man. If I knew the two of you would get along so well, I would've introduced you sooner.”

“We have some similar interest and I enjoy talking to him. It is...” He hesitated while he searched for the right word to express the feeling but came up short. “Easy? He is a kind person. He is good.”

“For the most part. He can be a dick when he wants to.”

“That is kind of a staple of all our friendships. We can all be dicks.”

“Well, I guess dicks of a feather flock together.”

“I know I mess up your sayings sometimes, but I am positive that is not how that one goes.”

“It is now.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos always greatly appreciated. You can find me on Tumblr ([SociallyAwkwardFoxWriter](http://sociallyawkwardfoxwriter.tumblr.com/)) or Twitter ([@AwkFoxy](https://twitter.com/AwkFoxy)).


	4. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've added a few more tags to this fic because of the content in this chapter. Please make sure to check those out before reading!
> 
> Also, I should be able to get a new chapter up next week because I've finished all my fics for Widofjord Week!

After clearing away the clutter that managed to accumulate throughout the day on the counter, Caleb wiped down the top and reorganized the little bits and bobs they kept near the register. He dusted the tops of the shelves, swept the floor, cleared out the register, double checked all the lights were off. Once he was sure all his nightly tasks were complete, he grabbed his bag and keys on the way out the back entrance. He double checked the door was locked, then made his way over to his car only to stop dead in his tracks.

A familiar man leaned next to the driver's side door with his muscular arms crossed over his broad chest. While it was tempting to turn back around and hide in his store, he knew the man wouldn't give up until he did what he came here to do. Caleb took several calming breaths, then forced himself to walk over to the car with his keys clutched tightly in his hand. Steely blue eyes looked him up and down several times, but no hint of emotion showed on Eodwulf's face that gave away what he thought.

“You would think it would have been difficult to find you. The Cobalt Soul are supposed to be good with secrets, but it was almost too easy. It seems you're enjoying your new life, Caleb Widogast.”

“What are you doing here?”

“What do you think?” Eodwulf pushed off the car to cut the short distance between them, until he could reach out and touch him. “Did you really think Trent was just going to let you get away with what you did? We were on the brink of finally accomplishing our mission and you decide it's the time to second guess everything.”

“What we were doing was wrong. Someone needed to stop it.”

“So, you'd thought you'd play the hero and do it yourself.”

“I did what had to be done.”

“If you did what had to be done, we wouldn't be in this situation. Not that it matters. It took some adjust, but we'll still be able to make it work.”

“Why? Why does it matter?”

A predatory smile stretched across Eodwulf's face as he stepped forward to tower over Caleb. “Don't you know? Your little trick with the Cobalt Soul didn't work as well as you thought it would. You thought you were so clever, but Trent always knew there was a possibility someone would turn on him. Of course, he never expected it to be his perfect golden child, but here we are.”

“The Cobalt Soul have Trent. I know they do.”

“Who told you that? Was it your little monk roommate? I doubt she knows as much as she pretends to know. Whatever they told you about having the situation under control is a lie. Our plans are still in motion and there's nothing they can do to prevent it.”

“Why tell me this?”

“Why do you think?” Eodwulf grabbed his wrist before Caleb could pull back, then pulled the arm covers off to expose his scarred skin. “As much as I'd prefer we didn't, we still need you for this plan to function. You could make this easy on yourself and everyone involved by coming without a fight, or we can go through them to get to you.”

“Everything Trent ever told us is bullshit. He's willing to destroy the world if it would mean he'd get the power he wants. This plan is going to hurt a lot of people, so one person can fuel their greedy ambitions.”

“What happened to the person willing to do anything for the glory of the Empire? If the Empire is going to reach its full potential, this has to be done.”

“The Empire doesn't need more power. The Empire has enough power and uses it poorly to oppress anyone that doesn't blindly follow or fit their perfect standards. What you want to do will not bring glory to the Empire, it will bring destruction to everyone else.”

“I always knew you were too weak to do what needed to be done.”

“Call me weak all you want, but I won't help you.”

“Yes, you will. Whether you want to or not, you'll end up back with us to finish what we started all those years ago.”

“If you could do that, you wouldn't bother to have this conversation right now. You're not as untouchable as you like to think you are and we both know it.”

The grip on his wrist tightened to the point Caleb could feel his bones starting to strain under the pressure, but it let up just before it caused any harm. “Now isn't the right time. There are still a few things that need to be done.”

“It seems you've played your hand early.”

“If that's what you want to believe, go right ahead. We'll be back for you when the time is right. You'll come with us or we'll do what needs to be done to make you.” With a threatening smile, Eodwulf backed up with his hands tucked casually in his pockets. “It's good to see you, Bren. I'll be seeing you again soon.”

* * *

The door clicking shut behind him sounded like a gunshot going off in the otherwise silent house. After his trembling fingers locked the door behind him, Caleb slid down the door as his legs gave out underneath him. With Eodwulf's words on repeat in his mind, it'd been a miracle he managed the drive from Fireside Books to the house without crashing the car. Even though he knew Eodwulf hadn't been one of the ones the Cobalt Soul captured when they took down Trent, he hadn't expected to see him again. Part of the reason Nicodranas had been so appealing was it felt like one of the last places anyone would look for him.

His fingers clutched at the front of his shirt as his breathing began to turn erratic and his head started to swim. The rapid beating of his heart in his chest pounded so loudly it was all he could hear. He gasped desperately for air as black spots began to dot his vision, but nothing he did allowed him to take in enough air to let him breath. On the verge of unconsciousness, he felt a hand tear his away from his chest causing him to lose his last grip on reality.

Before he could tumble headfirst into the darkness, something began to beat a steady rhythm on his chest. This new focal point gave him something to latch onto and a pattern to model his breathing after. It took several tries to replicate it, but he eventually managed to match his breathing to it. As the rhythm began to slow, he followed the lead until his vision cleared allowing him to see Beau in front of him. A blue tiefling peered over her shoulder with concern plain on her face.

“Hey, Caleb. You there?” When his voice refused to work, he nodded yes in response to Beau's question. “Okay, good. Want to explain to me what that was all about? It's been a while since you've done this. Did something set it off?”

“Eodwulf.”

“That dick you used to be friends with? Did something remind you of him?”

“Here.”

“What do you mean here? You mean he found you?”

“Ja.”

“Fuck! Jester, can you help Caleb to his room? I'm going to call Dairon.”

With a bright smile, Jester held out her hands to help Caleb up and pull him up to his feet without any help on his part. She wrapped an arm around his waist to guide him down the hall to his room and didn't complain when he leaned most of his weight on her. Once he was sitting on his bed, she helped him out of his coat and pulled his shoes off his feet. A gentle hand guided him back to lie flat on the bed, then disappeared when Jester skipped over to the dresser shoved in the corner.

It didn't surprise him in the least that Jester began to pull open drawers and dig through them, until she found what she was looking for. When she returned to the bed, a plain grey shirt and a pair of orange plaid pants were held in her arms. She placed the clothing on the bedside table, then left the room with one last reassuring smile. While he didn't feel like moving, he knew that waking up in his work clothes in the morning would make a horrible start to his day.

Just as he finished pulling on his shirt, the door cracked open wide enough for a cat held up by a pair of hands to fit through. Frumpkin let out a little merp and poked a tongue out at him that had him smiling despite the anxiety still filling every inch of him. After one more jiggle of his cat, Jester poked her hand through the crack to wiggle her eyebrows at him. With her performance done, Jester pushed the door open the rest of the way to deliver Frumpkin to Caleb's lap.

“Hi, Caleb.”

“Hi, Jester.”

“Did you know that your cat is the nicest cat I've ever met? He let me pet him for like an hour!”

He ran a hand over Frumpkin's back earning him a rumbling purr. “He is the best cat.”

“Beau told me he's a magic cat. Can you show me?”

With a snap, Frumpkin disappeared from his lap and reappeared wrapped around Jester's neck like a fluffy scarf. Her eyes went wide at the sudden weight around her shoulders, then reached a hand back to stroke Frumpkin. His cat let out a pleased purr at the attention and batted playfully at the horn just within reach.

“That's so cool!” She gave a laugh when Frumpkin licked her cheek. “Oh, I can do something cool! Want to see?”

“Of course.”

Suddenly, a second Jester appeared next to the first that began to do a little dance in tandem with the real one. “What do you think?”

“It's very cool. How did you learn to do that?”

“The Traveler taught me. He knows all kinds of super cool spells and he teaches me how to do them. Have you ever met the Traveler?”

“No.”

“Maybe, I can introduce you! He likes to hear stories and you know lots of stories.”

Before he could respond, Beau stomped into the room with her phone pressed to her ear and an annoyed expression on her face. “Hey, Jester. Do you mind giving us a little privacy? I need to talk to Caleb.”

“Sure!”

Once the door shut behind her, Beau crossed the room to join him on the bed with her legs crossed and back leaning against the headboard. Caleb tipped sideways to lean his head against her shoulder and waited for the questions to begin. A hand stroked through his hair the same way Beau normally ran her fingers through Frumpkin's fur, only pausing every so often as she listened to the others on the call.

When the time finally came, she tapped him on the top of his head. “We need to know what Eodwulf said.”

“He said they have continued Trent's work and they will have what they need to accomplish their goal soon. They need me to be able to do it, so he told me I would either go with him when the time came or they would hurt the people I'm close to in order to get to me. He also implied that Trent isn't in the Cobalt Soul's custody.”

“And he showed up at your store?”

“No, he was waiting out back by my car.”

“Was anyone else with him?”

“Not that I saw, but it's possible they were hiding somewhere nearby.”

“Did he tell you when they would need you?”

“No.”

“Okay.” After listening for a few moments, she pulled the phone away once more. “That's all they need for now. Try to get some sleep. I'll make sure to give you an update first thing in the morning.”

“Thank you, Beau.”

“We're going to catch this fucker and anyone else with him.”

“I know you will.”

* * *

“Are you sure you should be here? What if he shows up again?” Nott glanced nervously at the door like she expected Eodwulf to suddenly walk through it at any moment. “If you want me to watch over the shop for you, I can.”

“There's no need for that. Beau is keeping an eye out for anyone suspicious, including him. We don't need to worry about anything. She'll be around all day.”

“Shouldn't she be in here guarding you?”

“Beau knows more about how to handle these situations than I do. She's keeping an eye on things the best way she knows how. I trust her to do this.”

“As long as you're sure.”

“I'm sure.”

After staring intently at him for several long seconds, Nott sat back with nod of her head. “We'll just have to keep an eye out for anyone suspicious and let Beau do her thing.”

“That sounds like a good plan.”

“And if he does show his face, I'll shoot him!” Out of seemingly nowhere, Nott pulled out a crossbow that she aimed at the corner of the shop.

“Where did you get a crossbow?”

“I always have one on me. You never know when you might need it.”

“I'm suddenly wondering how I made it out of my first meeting with you alive.”

“It's for protection. I don't go around just shooting everyone I see.”

“That is a relief. It would have been very unfortunate if you shot me.”

“I would never shoot you. Everyone else is fair game.”

Caleb rolled his eyes at her as he reached out to ruffle her hair. “Please do not shoot any of our friends or customers.”

“Only because you asked.”

“Thank you, Nott.”

“Of course, Caleb.” Once the crossbow disappeared from sight, Nott moved closer to him and rested a hand on his shoulder. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Whatever you would like.”

“How close were you and Eodwulf?”

With a heavy sigh, Caleb looked down at his finger so he wouldn't be looking Nott in the eyes as he spoke. “We grew up together in a small town outside Rexxentrum called Blumenthal along with Astrid. When Trent took us, we did everything together. One of us was rarely seen without the other two.”

“Were you close?”

“Ja, as close as we could be when we were taught never to trust anyone completely. We shared secrets with each other that we would never tell anyone else, but we still held back information we knew could be used against us by the others. I'm glad that was the case, or I would be in a lot more trouble now.”

“Is that why you didn't tell them when you contacted the Cobalt Soul?”

“I knew they would not agree." He hesitated for a moment to get his thoughts together. “Eodwulf does as he is told. He has always been willing to do whatever Trent asks of him and never questions it. He believes what he is told. Nothing I would have said could have changed that.”

“And Astrid?”

“She is blind to what is going on. The Empire comes above all and she will do what needs to be done to make sure that happens. Whether other people get hurt in the process doesn't matter to her?”

“What made you change your mind?”

“There were a few times I had my doubts about what we were doing and whether I would be able to do my part when the time came, but I didn't have the heart to do something about it. Trent took me in and taught me everything I know about magic. Eodwulf and Astrid were the only friends I had ever known and felt more like an extension of myself than two completely different people. It was hard to cut ties with that.”

A small hand gripped his arm to give him a comforting squeeze. “Well, it's a good thing you decided to tell the Cobalt Soul about what they were doing. Now, you have all of us.”

“Ja, it is very good. It is hard to imagine my life without all of you. I have not felt this way in a very long time.”

“What way?”

“Like... I belong. Like I am part of something important. I thought I felt that way with them, but I don't think that's the case.”

“I'm glad you feel that way because we feel the same about you.” Small arms wrapped around his body to give him a surprisingly tight hug that he did his best to return with his arms pinned to his side. “None of those assholes are going to hurt you again.”

“Thank you, Nott.”

“You're welcome. Now, stay right here. I am going to make sure Beau is keeping an eye on you while I go get us some tea. It'll help calm your nerves.”

“Isn't getting it from a place called Morbidi-Tea a bit... counter to that point?”

“Tea is tea! Plus, Caduceus makes the best tea. It'll definitely make you feel better.”

“Well, I cannot argue with that logic.”

“Good. Stay right here. I'll be back in a second. You won't even notice I'm gone!”

“With how sneaky you are, it's more likely I won't notice you return.”

“One time! I spooked you one time!”

“I dropped the new books everywhere it was a disaster.”

“I think that's blowing it a little bit out of proportion, only a few books fell.”

“It was a whole box.”

Nott bounced to her feet on the counter to smoosh his face between both of her hands. “If you don't want me to leave, just say so. I can text Cad to have one of his minions bring some over.”

“One, they are not minions. Two, that is not necessary. Three, I was trying to... light the mood. Take our minds off the other thing.”

“Oh, you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. I'm sorry for pushing.”

“You weren't pushing. I just... Beauregard is the only other person that knows all of that. It's still difficult to talk about it, and now that it's out there, I would like to focus on something else.”

“How about you focus on that customer,” She pointed at the lone individual perusing the shelves with a determination that spoke of someone looking for a specific book. “and I'll get us drinks? We can talk about something completely different when I get back.”

“That is a good plan.”

* * *

After finishing off the last of his fried rice, Caleb stretched across Beau to grab one of the unopened containers sitting on the opposite end of the table. A quick knock to his elbow from a smirking Beau nearly sent the food flying, but he managed to hang onto it. As he popped open the lid, he sent her a glare that didn't seem to faze her in the least. Instead of acknowledging him, she continued to eat her food like she hadn't done a single thing to warrant his annoyance.

“What was Jester doing here last night?”

Beau took longer than necessary to chew her food before she spoke. “She was hanging out here. That's what friends do. I don't need your permission to have her over.”

“Just a friendly hangout? I didn't interrupt a date?”

Red tinged the tops of Beau's ears as she reached for the nearest pillow to swing at his face like a weapon. The sudden pain of his nose flattening uncomfortably from the force of it earned him another smirk that he wanted to wipe off her face. He rubbed at his nose to help rid the pain because he knew trying to get back at her would end poorly.

“What were you saying?”

“I asked if I interrupted your date because it seemed like I did.”

“Don't be a dick.”

“It's an honest question.” He pointed at her with a chopstick that she tried to snatch out of his hand before he could yank it back. “She had never been over here before. Excuse me for thinking the reason she's over is because you finally asked her on a date.”

“She wanted to see the place. I wasn't going to say no.”

“Of course not, she has you wrapped around her finger.”

“That is not true.”

“Yes, it is. If she asked you to come over now, you'd drop everything and go straight over.”

“Except my job is to keep an eye on you, so I couldn't even if I wanted to.”

“Whose fault is that for taking forever to ask her on a date?”

“I could strangle you.”

Caleb took his time enjoying a bite of food while Beau made a strangling motion with her hands. “I thought your job was to protect me. Strangling me would be the opposite of that.”

“I'll make it look like an accident.”

“I don't know why I thought moving to Nicodranas with you was a good idea.”

“You're not the only one.”

“At least we are on the same page.”

He nudged her playfully with his shoulder and passed over a new pair of chopsticks to replace the one she broke. After rolling her eyes at him, she accepted the chopsticks and gave a shoulder bump of her own. They finished the rest of their dinner leaning against each other with the television playing some cheesy action movie in the background. Just as they were starting to clear away their dinner, a knock sounded on the door that immediately had Beau on edge.

On the way to the door, she motioned for Caleb to get out of sight and put a hand on the staff hiding in the umbrella stand. Before opening the door, she checked through the peephole to check the person waiting on the other side. While it was difficult to see from his hidden position, he could just make out enough of the person to recognize Dairon. After exchanging several hushed words, Beau released her hold on her staff to open the door for Dairon to enter.

“I apologize for dropping in so late.” Dairon gave him a nod of greeting that he returned in kind. “Unfortunately, I don't have much time. With this new information, we need to act quickly to take advantage of it.”

Despite her mentor being the only other person in the room, Beau placed herself between Dairon and Caleb before speaking. “What information do you have?”

“It appears that we had a few traitors within our midst. They have been dealt with, but you both already know the damage has been done. Trent Ikithon is no longer in our custody and it is unclear when that happened. We've gotten rid of the traitors, but it would be in your best interest not to trust anyone you don't know like the back of your hand.”

“Including you?”

“Naturally.”

“What else did you find?”

“While we know what Trent is planning thanks to Caleb and the interrogation of those we captured, it is unclear what his next steps will be now that he knows we are aware. Obviously, our main priority is protecting Caleb because we know he is necessary to the plan. The others wanted him to return to Rexxentrum or to one of our other locations on a completely different continent, but I convinced them it would be best that he remains under your protection.”

“Why?”

“Eodwulf has already issued threats should Caleb not return to them when the time came. Caleb leaving would send a clear message that he had no intention of doing so. That would mean anyone Caleb cares about here would also need to leave or he stays here. They also suggested sending other members to watch this location, but that brings about the same issue. It's best to leave this in your hands.”

“Right.” Beau glanced behind her to check on him, then returned her attention to Dairon. “Other than keeping Caleb safe, what's the plan? We're putting off any potential threats being carried out by doing this, but that'll only work for so long. As soon as Eodwulf or whoever the fuck comes next tells him to join them, that's out the window.”

“We have a couple of leads on where Trent might be. I am going to follow up on those and try to find other ways we can put a stop to this plan.”

“How long is that going to take?”

“There's no telling. It could take no time at all or it could take longer than we have. Unfortunately, that is a risk we must take. There are a few other I trust that are looking for Trent's followers, including Eodwulf.”

“So, it's just a waiting game?"

“Yes. I'll be in touch with any new information as soon as I know anything that will help.”

After giving Dairon a stiff nod, Beau showed them out the door and locked it back up behind them. “Well, that wasn't the information I was hoping for. I'm not even sure you could call that information.”

“I can't say I'm surprised." Before his legs could give out, Caleb dropped to the couch and snapped Frumpkin into existence on his lap to give his hands something to do. “This is what I feared would happen. Trent always had a backup plan. Ones he never even told me.”

“That asshole is not getting his hands on you again. We'll figure something out-with or without Dairon and the rest of the Cobalt Soul's help. You got that?”

“Ja, I got it.”

“Good. I'm not going to put up with any self-deprecating bullshit about you going with them being better than anyone else possibly getting hurt. They can fuck off.”

“I don't think we're going to get that lucky, but you never know.”

“Very funny.”

“Ja, I'm hilarious.”

As she let out a heavy sigh, Beau dropped next to him on the couch with her head pillowed on his thigh and her legs thrown over the arm of it. Frumpkin batted at her nose in retaliation for taking part of his territory away, then climbed across her chest to curl up on her abdomen. With Frumpkin out of reach, his hands started twisting Beau's hair between his fingers while he stared up at the ceiling.

“We should take a vacation when all this shit is over.”

Caleb hummed under his breath. "I've never been on a vacation.”

“Seriously?”

“Funnily enough, Trent did not allow us vacation days or let us travel without his permission. The only time we went somewhere it was to get information or collect materials.”

“Why didn't you tell me about that?”

“It never came up.”

“That's sad. Figure out where you want to go, and we'll go as soon as all of this is over.”

“Are sure you want to give me that power?”

“Only because it's your first vacation. If you pick somewhere terrible, I'll never let you pick again.”

“Maybe, I'll ask Fjord.” He twisted a strand of her hair straight up in the air, then let it fall right into her face. “He probably knows some interested places, right? Sailors go all over the place.”

“Yeah, I'm sure that's the only reason you want to ask Fjord.”

“Should I ask Jester? Maybe, she'll want to join us.”

“Don't even think about it. She'll get all excited and won't be able to stop talking about it.”

“You just don't want to deal with her sad face if we don't get the chance to do it soon.”

“Shut up. Ask Fjord for suggestions. He talks about his travels all the time. He'll give us a good suggestion.”

“After all this is over.”

“Yeah, as soon as all this bullshit is over.”

* * *

Leather dug painfully into his wrists as he instinctively tugged against them to get away from pressure. The gag in his mouth muffled his scream when the pressure turned from the worst feeling he ever experienced to unbearably painful. He wanted nothing more than to fall unconscious so the pain would stop, but the strange sensation flowing through him wouldn't let him. It kept him right on the brink of unconsciousness-never letting him tip over the edge to get the relief he craved.

When the pressure disappeared in one spot, it started again in a new spot over and over and over. His arms burned harsher with every new spot, until it felt like the bone and muscle and skin were all on fire. He gave on last weak yank at the restraints, which only served to cause himself pain. A choked off sob tore from his throat as he desperately begged for it to stop even though no one could hear him.

Suddenly, everything stopped. The pain, the pressure, the burning. It all disappeared for a few glorious seconds, then it flared back up like it had never been gone in the first place. Every single cell in his body screamed in agony as the pain crescendoed to an unimaginable high. 

He awoke to a firm shake to his shoulders and worried eyes staring at him with only the light from moon streaming through the window to illuminate the room. His body violently shook as he raised his arms up to find only long healed scars decorating the skin. There was no blood or magic pulsing uncontrollably from the crystals embedded deep into his muscles. The phantom pain from his nightmare slowly ebbed as his brain slowly began to connect the dots. Despite that, he felt a bone deep ache that hadn't plagued him for the past few month.

The bed next to him groaned as Beau dropped next to him on the mattress with her eyes shut and chest heaving. Her abandoned quarter staff leaned precariously against the side table where she ditched it upon realizing he wasn't being attacked. When she opened her arms again, she reached an arm out to drag him against her side and pinned him there. While the contact helped remind him he was safe, his body wouldn't stop shaking with the memories still fresh in his mind.

“Thank you, Beauregard.” His voice sounded raw and burned when he spoke. “I'm so-”

“Don't mention it. Just... Fuck, Caleb. I'm just glad they didn't find some way in here without us knowing.”

“You should go back to sleep.”

“So should you.”

“I'm not sure I'll be able to.”

“That makes two of us.”

“I'm sorry for waking you.”

Beau groaned and shoved her head back into the pillow with an annoyed grind of her teeth. “I don't give a shit that you woke me up in the middle of the night. We're fine. We're both fine.”

“I think there are plenty of people that would disagree with that statement. We're a bit, you know, of a mess. We're messy people.”

“Yeah. Yeah, we are, but we're messy people that are doing their best. That counts for something, right?”

“I hope so.”

“So do I.” She pressed her face against the top of his head for a moment, then pulled back with a heavy sigh. “Try to go back to sleep. I'll be right here.”

“Yeah, okay. You try to sleep too.”

“Okay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos always greatly appreciated. You can find me on Tumblr ([SociallyAwkwardFoxWriter](http://sociallyawkwardfoxwriter.tumblr.com/)) or Twitter ([@AwkFoxy](https://twitter.com/AwkFoxy)).


	5. Chapter 4

With another heavy blink, Caleb took a long drink from the coffee clutched tightly in his hands in the hopes it would finally kick in. Most of the morning was spent shaking himself awake whenever his exhaustion got the best of him. Falling asleep standing up had been the last straw for Nott, who forced him to take a seat behind the counter while she went to buy him coffee. Once she returned, he was instructed to focus on drinking his coffee while Nott took care of the shop.

Despite doing exactly as Nott ordered, half a cup of coffee later didn't have him any more awake than before he started drinking it. If anything, the gentle warmth radiating off it made staying awake even more difficult. In fact, at the moment he wanted nothing more than to curl up in a plush chair with a book in hand and Frumpkin on his lap. 

“Are you feeling more awake?”

After taking a moment to comprehend Nott's words, he finally formulated a response. “No but thank you for the coffee. I think I am in need of more sleep. My body has had enough of me trying to compensate with coffee and energy drinks.”

“Why don't you take a few days off? I can handle the shop. If I need a little help, I can ask Jester.”

“I appreciate the thought, but I don't think a day off will help. I'll just spend all day thinking about it with nothing to distract me.”

“Beau would be with you. I'm sure she could distract you. You could join her and Fjord for their daily workout!”

“Absolutely not. I have seen Beauregard workout before. It hurt just watching her.”

“But you'll get to spend time with Fjord.”

“If I wanted to spend time with Fjord, I would get in touch with him to discuss something we could do together that wouldn't kill me.”

“Beau wouldn't kill you.” At his raised eyebrow, Nott rolled her eyes at him. “She wouldn't kill you. The two of you are like siblings. You might poke at each other to rile the other up, but you care about each other. Neither one of you would do anything that would actually hurt the other.”

“I didn't say she'd do it on purpose.”

“You're being dramatic.”

“It's the sleep deprivation.”

“If you're not willing to take a day off, why don't you go take a nap in the office. I can handle the store for a few hours while you sleep.”

With a tired smile, Caleb ruffled Nott's hair, then finished off the last of the coffee. “That's not a good idea. My dreams tend to be a bit... violent. I've woken up Beauregard a few times because I wake up screaming. I'd prefer not to scare customers away.”

“No wonder you haven't been sleeping. Why didn't you mention that sooner? I might have something that can help.”

“I didn't want you to worry, goblina.”

“I'm going to worry about you whether you like it or not, so you might as well tell me these things. Even if I can't help, I'd like to be there for you anyway that I possibly can.”

“Thank you, Nott.” He leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead that put a big smile on her face. “I'll be sure to keep that in mind next time. If you do have something that might help me sleep, I'd greatly appreciate it.”

“Of course, Caleb. I'll bring it tomorrow!”

“You're the best.”

“And don't you forget it!”

* * *

After several long minutes of ignoring her breakfast in favor of staring at him, Caleb put down his utensils to stare right back. Her eyes narrowed as she tipped her head thoughtfully to the side and clasped her hands on the top of the table. With a heavy sigh, Beau shoved away from the table to pace around the kitchen and occasionally throw glances out the window. When it seemed like she wasn't planning on sharing her thoughts, Caleb went back to eating his breakfast like she wasn't doing her best impression of a caged lion.

“I think we should tell the others.” The unexpected sound of Beau's voice caused him to drop the egg balanced on his fork. “I've been thinking about what Dairon said and we obviously can't trust anyone from the Cobalt Soul to keep you safe. There's no one in the Cobalt Soul here that I trust enough for that, but we need more eyes. You've already told Nott and she's taken steps to make sure she's prepared to protect you. If we told the others... I know it's your personal business, but they could help.”

“We wouldn't have to tell them everything.”

“No, just the important bits. We'll tell them that some individuals from your past are threatening you and we'd appreciate their help keeping an eye out for anything threats. That's all they need to know.”

“They should understand the danger they would be in if they agreed to do this. Eodwulf and Trent's other followers wouldn't hesitate to use them against me. I don't want any of them to get hurt because of me.”

“You could tell them that all day long and they'll stick with you no matter what, but I agree. They should know their lives are in danger.”

“When did you want to tell them?”

Beau dropped heavily in her seat to drum her fingers against the table. “As soon as possible. I'll get in touch with Jessie about setting up a dinner or something tonight at the Lavish Chateau. They normally have a few rooms open during the week. We should be able to get some privacy.”

“Are you sure Jester wouldn't mind?”

“Of course not. She's always looking for an excuse to get everyone together. I'll just be sure she understands that we'll need to discuss something important before we get to the fun.”

“If she doesn't mind, then I think it's probably for the best that we discuss this with everyone tonight. The sooner they know the better. I wouldn't want them to accidentally get caught up in my mess without knowing it.”

“Okay.” After opening her phone, Beau used her free hand to cram bacon into her mouth while she typed. “I'll let you know once I hear back from Jessie. You should finish your breakfast and get dressed or we're going to be late.”

“Whose fault is that?”

She glared at him as she chewed on the egg she was trying to eat as quickly as possible. “Fuck off. Don't make me leave without you.”

“That would defeat the point of leaving.”

“Just hurry up.”

“I'm going.”

* * *

While the others engaged in pleasant conversation, Caleb picked nervously at the tablecloth. He spent most of the day worrying about how this conversation would go and whether convincing all of them to keep their distance for the time being was possible. The logical part of his mind told him all these people were too stubborn for anything to convince them, but the emotional side clawed desperately at him to do whatever necessary to keep them all safe. Only Beau's steady insistence that everything would go fine kept him from bailing on the whole thing.

A warm hand resting on his shoulder drew his attention away from the table to Fjord dropping into the chair next to him. Concern drew the corners of his mouth down in a frown that Caleb attempted to change by giving him a smile. The expression on his face must not have been very convincing because Fjord only looked more concerned in response. 

“Are you doing okay, Caleb?”

“Do I look that bad?”

“Of course not. Just tired.”

“Ah, well..." When the words wouldn't come, he cleared his throat and tired again. “I suppose I am a bit tired.”

“I'm sure Jester would've understood if you didn't feel up to a group dinner tonight. It was a last-minute thing. You won't offend anyone by leaving.”

“This wasn't Jester's idea.”

Fjord's eyebrows furrowed up in confusion as he cast an uncertain glance in Jester's direction. “It wasn't?”

“No.”

“Do you know whose idea it was?”

“Beau.”

“Really?”

“Yes, there's something going on and we thought all of you should know.”

“So, this isn't just a dinner?”

“No." He resisted the urge to abruptly leave the conversation by taking several deep breaths and moving his gaze to the table. “I'm sure Beauregard will clear things up as soon as Molly and Yasha arrive.”

“But this announcement has something to do with you as well?”

“Ja, it mostly has to do with me, but... I'm not sure I would be able to get through it.”

“Does this have something to do with why you're so exhausted?”

The door to the room opening gave him the perfect excuse to turn his attention away from Fjord and ignore the question. With his typical flamboyance, Molly strode into the room with Yasha following closely behind him. Once they were settled in the last two chairs at the table, Beau rose from her seat to draw everyone's attention to her. In preparation for the impending discussion, Caleb wrapped his arms around his waist and hunched his shoulders.

“Thanks for coming on such short notice.” Beau placed her hands on the table with a tired sigh as she glanced around at everyone. “Before we have dinner, there's a reason I asked Jessie to arrange this. Thanks again for doing that, Jess.”

“You're welcome!”

“Nott already knows about this, but Caleb and I decided this morning that it would be best that everyone knew what's going on. We met because there are some people in Caleb's past that the Cobalt Soul had an interest in. Unfortunately, those people have managed to get away from us and have issued a threat to Caleb. I've been tasked to keep an eye on him, but a few more eyes we could trust wouldn't hurt.”

“Someone's threatening you?” Fjord's smooth voice commanded Caleb's attention away from the table to look directly at the other man.

“It was only once.”

“What did he threaten to do?”

“There are things from my past that make me a target for them. There are things that they want from me that could be very dangerous for other people. If I don't give them what they want when the time comes, they won't hesitate to do whatever it takes to make me comply.”

“Well, whether they like it or not, we're not going to let them get you.”

“Fjord's right.” Molly's smile looked dangerous with his tail flicking behind him in a threatening manner. “We don't give a fuck who these people are or that they're dangerous. They're not going to get you. If they want you, they'll be going through us first.”

“But we're not going to go looking for a fight. All we're going to do is make sure that they don't get to Caleb, right?”

“You're no fun, Fjord, but yes. We won't go looking for any trouble. Tell us what we can do to help, and we'll follow your lead.”

Uncertainly, Caleb looked at Beau for direction and let out a sigh of relief when she took the lead once again. “We want to make sure there are eyes on Caleb at all times. Nott and I have been taking the day shift and Caleb and I have spent our nights in to make avoid running into anyone. If we had a few more people with us, it'd be safer for us to go out. There's also errands I need to run for us, but we can't risk Caleb staying at our place on his own.”

“Sounds like we've got a lot to discuss, but I think that can wait for after dinner.”

With a nod, Beau sank into her chair and gave Jester a grateful smile when she skipped out of the room to get dinner brought in. To avoid the gaze of everyone else, Caleb stared down at his plate only for Fjord to ruin his plans. Like he did when he first arrived, Fjord rested a hand on his shoulder and gave a comforting squeeze when he didn't meet his eyes.

“We are going to help, Caleb. Whatever way we can.”

“Thank you, Fjord. You're too kind.”

“We're friends. It's what we do.”

* * *

“Hey, Fjord. Thanks for stopping by. I'll only be gone for a few hours. Don't open the door for anyone and call me if you notice anything suspicious.”

“Okay, mom.”

“Shut up. Try not to sneeze to death because of the cat hair.”

“Fuck you very much.”

“Have fun, but not too much fun.”

“Get out of here already.”

Beau's laughter was cut off by the door shutting behind her with more force than strictly necessary. For the first time all afternoon, Caleb looked up from his book to find Fjord standing uncertainly in the entryway. Instead of waiting to see what the man would do, he took pity on him and gestured for Fjord to make himself comfortable. With a warm smile, Fjord dropped himself onto the chair Frumpkin normally claimed for his naps.

“That might not be the best place for you to sit.”

“Why is that?”

“Ah, well...” With an annoyed meow of warning, Frumpkin jumped onto Fjord's lap and made himself comfortable for a nap. “That is why.”

“Luckily, I had the foresight to take some of my allergy medication before I came, and I brought it with me just in case I need it. You did warn me that you have the best cat in the world.”

“As you can see, that is now proven.”

“He's definitely a cuddly one and magic. What more could you ask for in a cat?”

“Nothing at all.”

Fjord ran a hand along Frumpkin's back, then gave him a good scratch behind the ears that started a rumbling purr. “Is this your entire plan for the evening?”

“I could lie and tell you that this is only the plan because it is in my best interest to remain inside, but this is probably what I would be doing if that weren't the case. Did you have something else in mind?”

“Well, I wasn't sure if you would want to talk about what's going on, so I thought I'd come prepared with a distraction.”

“What did you have in mind?”

“I thought we could talk about those books you let me borrow.”

“You finished them?”

“For the most part. There were a few parts I skipped over because I got confused with the wording, but most of it made sense. I was actually surprised how much I understood.”

“What did you want to discuss?” Caleb placed his book on the coffee table and turned his body to better give Fjord his attention. “Or did you have questions?”

“There are a few that spring to mind if you don't mind answering.”

“Of course not. I lent those books to you knowing you would have questions when you finished, so go right ahead.”

“Okay. The books mentioned there are different magic schools that wizards choose to focus in.”

“Correct.”

“Which one did you focus in?”

“Transmutation. My... mentor felt it was a good fit and I trusted his judgement.”

“Do you regret going with his suggestion?”

“No, but I do have an interest in other schools. I've done at least a little studying in all of them.”

“Do you have a spellbook?”

“I'd be a very poor wizard if I didn't.”

Fjord nervously chewed his bottom lip as his fingers continued to run through Frumpkin's fur. “Is it weird to ask if I can see it?”

It took a monumental effort to hold back a laugh at the sincere uncertainty and nervousness lacing Fjord's voice. With a smile, Caleb motioned for Fjord to follow him down the hall where he left his spellbook earlier to let the new ink dry. After a moment of hesitation, Fjord gently lifted Frumpkin from his lap, then set him on the seat cushion. Despite his efforts, Frumpkin immediately jumped down to follow them as soon as they headed down the hall.

“I was transcribing a spell I acquired earlier, but the ink should be dry by now.” When he gestured for Fjord to take the spellbook sitting on the desk, his eyes went wide as saucers. “It's not going to bite you or blow up.”

“It just seems a little... personal? I don't want to ruin it.”

“Spellbooks are very difficult to ruin, and I have another one just in case something happens to that one. Most wizards have two.”

“Are you sure I'm allowed to touch it?”

Caleb rolled his eyes at Fjord, then picked up the spellbook and shoved it into the other's hands so he had no choice but to take it. “Look at that. Nothing happened.”

“This is incredible. How long did it take you to do this?”

“Oh, as long as I've been training. There are a few spells I decided to get rid of when I transferred to that spellbook, but I've replaced most of them.”

“This isn't your original spellbook?”

“No.”

“Did the other one get destroyed?”

“Yes.”

After flipping through a few more pages, Fjord handed back the spellbook as carefully as if he were handling a baby. “That's amazing. Thank you for showing me.”

“I'm always happy to indulge someone interest in the arcane. Beau doesn't exactly have an interest in magic. She's more about using her fists to inflict physical harm.”

“Unfortunately, I've been on the receiving end of that. I had bruises for days after our first sparring session together. I almost refused her the next time she asked.”

“It is a good thing you didn't. She enjoys your workouts, and she stopped asking me.”

“She asked you?” The amused snicker Fjord managed to hold in still showed in his expressive eyes. “I'm surprised you didn't take her up on that.”

“Very funny. I prefer to keep my distance from everyone in dangerous situations.”

“I think most people prefer that.”

“What about you? What do you prefer?”

“Now, that is a bit of a story that's best left for another day.”

Caleb hummed in understanding as he closed the office door behind him with his spellbook tucked securely under his arm. “In that case, I think a change of topic is in order. How about dinner? Beau will be out for a few more hours and I'm starting to get hungry. No point waiting on her.”

“Is Beau really just running a few errands this late at night?”

“She's going to the grocery store at some point because we're running low on options, but... Beau isn't happy with the lack of information she's received from her superior. I've told her to be patient, but that's not her strong suit. She'd prefer to go looking for answers on her own. She has a few contacts in the city I'm sure she scheduled meetings with to see if they've heard anything.”

“They really don't know anything?”

“I...” He stared at the box of pasta in his hand for far longer than necessary as he carefully thought over what to say. “There is a lot of my past that you don't know. These people are cruel at the best of time, but they know how to fake it. They'll smile like nothing is wrong at the same time they stab you in the back. Lies and deceit are essential for the continuation of what they do.”

“If you were part of them, how did you end up with Beau and the Cobalt Soul?”

“How do you think? There's a reason the one that came to see me resorted to threatening me.”

“Why don't you just leave? You and Beau pack your bags and hideout, until all of this blows over.”

“It's not that simple. If I went into hiding, you would have to and Nott and Caduceus and Molly and Yasha and Jester and her mom and anyone I have the slightest attachment to. The threat they issued was not an empty one. Leaving would give them the perfect excuse to carry out that threat.”

“There has to be something you can do that won't put you in constant danger of them coming for you at any moment.”

“We are working on it. Beau has hardly been sleeping. Although, I'm not sure if it's because of this entire situation or me.”

“What do you mean?”

Caleb gave a heavy sigh as he busied his hands with getting the pasta on the stove to cook. “My past haunts me, but things have been a lot better since Beau and even better here. All of this coming back when I least expected it was jarring. I've fallen into some old habits that I know Beau was glad to be rid of.”

“Nightmares? I know a thing or two about those. I might be able to help.”

“Nott has given me something to ease them, but I might take you up on that offer.”

“It wouldn't be any trouble. I actually learned the techniques I know from Caduceus.”

“I didn't realize you knew each other that well. Have you talked to him about the Wildmother?”

“He was actually the one that introduced me to her. That's why I was hoping you might have some educational literature that I could read.”

“How did the two of you meet?”

“Jessie stumbled into him when she was out buying some supplies for her spells. They got to talking about cleric business and things escalated from there as they tend to do when Jess is involved.”

“I can't say that surprises me.”

“It didn't surprise me when she invited him to our next dinner together because she thought he could help.” A hand landed on his shoulder to nudged down while Fjord's other hand reached up to easily grab the bottle Caleb had been on his tiptoes to try to get. “He ended up being a huge help. I don't think I'll ever be able to thank him enough.”

“That does not surprise me. Caduceus has a habit of being able to read into situations better than anyone I've ever met. He has been a good friend.”

“I'm guessing you met because your shops are right next to each other.”

“Ja, Nott and I enjoy his tea. We go after closing at least once a week to talk with him. It's nice.”

“That does sound nice.”

They fell into silence as Caleb focused his attention on making pasta with Fjord offering his help whenever he could. They fell into an easy rhythm of moving around each other to get what they needed, until Caleb bumped Fjord out of the way with his hip to combine the drained pasta and the sauce. Fjord chuckled in response to the request, then busied himself with getting bowls and silverware for them. After filling the two bowls, Caleb led Fjord back to the living room and curled up in one corner of the couch. While Fjord got comfortable on the other side, Caleb turned on the television and flicked through the channels until he landed on a shitty movie.

“Thanks for the dinner, Caleb.”

“It is the least I could do when you've given up your evening to keep an eye on me.”

“You make it sound like a chore or a babysitting job. This just gives me an excuse to spend more time with you.”

“Right.” Caleb swirled his fork in his spaghetti much longer than necessary to give him an excuse to look down. “I forget you wanted to do something together. Things have been hectic.”

“I wasn't trying to make you feel bad. It's more than understandable that other things are on your mind. You're handling all of this better than I would.”

“While I hoped nothing like this would happen, part of me knew it was a strong possibility. I trust Beau to know what she is doing and having all of you on my side helps. Things could be a lot worse.”

A hand settled on his knee to give it a comforting squeeze, then Fjord immediately removed it. “Even if you just need to talk, we're all here for you.”

“Thank you, Fjord.”

“You don't need to keep thanking me, but you are welcome.”

“Is it so wrong to want to show my appreciation for what you're doing? Just spending time together puts you on their radar as someone that could be a threat, a weapon against me or both.”

“My past isn't squeaky clean either. Things being able to come back and haunt you is something I understand, so I know exactly what I'm getting into. You don't need to thank me for doing something that I want to do.”

“That doesn't mean I don't want to thank you.”

“In that case,” Fjord tapped his finger thoughtfully against the side of his bowl with a low him. “how about we agree to do something fun together after all of this is done? We're a bit limited in what we can do right now since you need to stay in the city.”

“What did you have in mind? I've already agreed to go on a vacation with Beau after this is over. She seems to think it is a travesty that I have never been on one before.”

“One, that is a travesty. Two, have you ever been sailing?”

“I can't say I have.”

“What do you say to the two of us and boat? Just spend the day on the water. I think you'll enjoy it. Most of the day will be relaxing, so you could bring a book and lay out on the deck.”

“How could I say no to that?”

“I might even be able to teach you a thing or two about sailing since you were kind enough to teach me about the arcane. It's only fair.”

“I think you are getting ahead of yourself there, but we'll see what happens.”

A small smile appeared on Fjord's face as he leaned across the space between them with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. “We'll definitely see.”

* * *

“Did you find what you were looking for?”

After grabbing a beer from the refrigerator, Beau dropped onto the couch and tipped her head back to plop against the cushion. “No. It's like no one here has ever heard of these people. They're doing a good job of staying off the radar.”

“That is not surprising. Eodwulf would not have showed his face if it would be easy to find them.”

“Yeah, well, it was still a mistake. Even if they aren't hanging around town, we know one of them is going to show up to get you or send a location with instructions. We can prepare for that at the very least.”

“Just be careful. I don't want you getting hurt because of me.”

“I'm always careful.”

“That is a lie.” A hand swatted out at him but didn't even come close to hitting him because Beau didn't bother to get within reach. “That is not a very good argument.”

“There's no reason to argue with you because I was telling the truth, and that is the end of that. Let's talking about something else now.”

“Talk about what?”

“How did your night with Fjord go? Did you have a nice romantic evening? I saw you made pasta.”

“What does pasta have to do with it?”

“I don't know. People always do pasta in movie and tv shows when they're having a romantic evening together. There has to be something to that.”

Even though she wouldn't see it, Caleb rolled his eyes at Beau. “It was either pasta or sandwiches, not exactly a decision based on the degree of romance associated with the food. I had a sandwich for lunch, so pasta for dinner.”

“But you are interested in Fjord? The two of you hit it off at the party and you spent most of our group dinner talking to each other and left together. He seemed, I don't know, eager to spend time with you tonight. Plus, you told me the two of you would be spending more time together.”

“I also told you, I would tell you if anything is going on between us.”

“And?”

“I don't know.” He snapped Frumpkin into his lap to give his hands something to do. “He is very kind. He's interested in magic and wants to learn more about it, which is a topic I'm interested in as well. He is understanding and a good listener. There is a lot about him that I find attractive.”

“But?”

“The last time I was in a relationship, things did not go so well. Fjord is nothing like her, but a part of me wonders if something similar will happen. I do not know much of Fjord's past, but he has mentioned that he understands my past coming back to haunt me. I don't judge him for that, but it does leave a lot to the imagination.”

“It's not like it has to be a serious relationship right out the gate. You could take things slow. Like you said, Fjord's an understanding guy. I don't think he'd mind going at your pace. You'd just need to set boundaries early on and communicate with each other.”

“You're probably right, but I don't think it matters much at the moment. Now isn't the best time to be exploring a romantic relationship.”

“If you're starting out small, I don't see why it wouldn't be. You've got the perfect excuse to spend time together and get to know each other better.”

“I don't even know if Fjord is interested.”

Beau let out a loud snort that earned her a death glare from a suddenly alert Frumpkin. “He's definitely interested. The guy hangs off your every word and he wants to spend time with you. I'm sure he said something tonight that bordered on asking you out.”

“Well...”

Suddenly, Beau sat up straight with her eyes wide and beer tipped dangerously to the side nearly spilling the liquid on the couch. She shuffled across the couch to tower over where he shoved himself down in the corner of it. Her eyes watched his face carefully, like she was looking for any signs of lying or holding back information.

“Well?”

“He mentioned taking me sailing once this is over. He thought I'd enjoy it.”

“Seriously? That's definitely a date.”

“It is not a date.”

“Sure. I know lots of people that invite a single friend out for a day of sailing when they've never done it before.”

Caleb huffed in annoyance at the certainty in Beau's voice and sat up a little straighter. “Can we please not read into this? Fjord is a good friend and I would like to get to know him better. He is a good man and I find him attractive. Maybe, in the future, I might be interested in pursuing a romantic relationship with him, but I don't want to do so when I'm still on the fence about it.”

“That's fair.” After taking a long drink from the beer, Beau dropped backwards to lie across the couch with her feet in his lap. “I just want something good to come out of this shit. All these assholes are forcing their way back into your life. You deserve something good.”

“There is a lot of good. Since moving here, I've been the happiest I've felt in a very long time. It is still good. I have a lot to be happy about.”

“Good. That's good.”

When Beau didn't seem inclined to say anything else, Caleb lifted her feet up to get out from under them. He ignored the questioning eyebrow she raised at him as he squeezed onto the edge of the couch with his head resting on her shoulder. A knee pressed uncomfortably against his leg once they settled into a more stable position, but he didn't bother to adjust. Fingers began twisting his hair around, then let it drop back down to flop in his face.

“Stop it.”

“You're the one that invaded my personal space.”

“I'm pretty sure you started it.”

“I don't know what you're talking about.”

“Of course, you don't.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos always greatly appreciated. You can find me on Tumblr ([SociallyAwkwardFoxWriter](http://sociallyawkwardfoxwriter.tumblr.com/)) or Twitter ([@AwkFoxy](https://twitter.com/AwkFoxy)).


	6. Chapter 5

“What are we doing?"”

“We're going to get dessert at a place Jessie recommended.”

“We haven't even had dinner yet.”

After pulling into a parking space, Beau turned to roll her eyes at him. “And? Who's going to stop us? We'll get dinner after. We're adults."

“Most adults still eat dinner before they have dessert.”

“Are you coming or are you staying in the car?”

“Will you crack the windows for me?”

With another roll of her eyes, Beau removed her seatbelt and slammed her door as soon as she was out of the car. He laughed quietly to himself as he did the same, then followed her into the shop without another word. Other than the employee behind the counter, there wasn't another person to be seen in the space. After greeting them, they were left on their own to look over the selection of ice cream behind the glass. It only took a little hemming and hawing to make their selection, then take their orders to a table the farthest table from the register. 

“Jess was right. This place is really good.”

“Is Jester recommending this place the only reason we came or is there another?”

Beau took a huge bite out of her ice cream, then crinkled her face up in pain at the sudden assault of cold. “Son of a bitch.”

“If you wanted to avoid the question, there are less painful ways to do that.”

“I'm not avoiding the question. I don't want my ice cream to melt.”

“It is not in danger of melting. You just got it. Your brain on the other hand is in danger of freezing solid.”

“That would not happen.”

“Are you sure?” He waggled his finger at her jokingly, then quickly pulled them back when her free hand twitched. “Why are we here? I enjoy ice cream as much as the next person, but it is getting a little late to be out.”

Unlike her previous attempt to put off speaking, Beau licked leisurely at her ice cream as she stared into space. Halfway through it, she lowered the cone and returned her gaze to Caleb with her brow furrowed. She wiped a smear of chocolate off the corner of her mouth, then let out a heavy sigh that sounded on the verge of exhaustion.

“Remember the first day we moved here? Not a care in the fucking world. We just explored the city for hours. Now, we barely go anywhere and when we do, we're constantly looking over our shoulders. I miss going places and getting to enjoy an evening together.”

“I'm surprised you're not sick of me by now. We see each other constantly.”

“I worry about you constantly. It's different.”

“I still piss you off all the time.”

“Yeah, well, you make it your job to.”

“It is a fun job.” When Beau closed her eyes to take a deep calming breath, Caleb scooped some ice cream on his finger and leaned across the table to smear it on her nose. “See? Very fun.”

“Why would you ruin perfectly good ice cream like that?”

“For the laughs.”

“That's... Sometimes it's easy to forget how old you are, then you say shit like that, and I feel like I'm taking my grandpa out to get some fresh air.”

“I am nowhere near old enough to be your grandfather, Beauregard.”

“And yet, you sure do sound like him.”

“I will walk home and then you will see who the grandpa is.”

“What does that even mean?”

“You don't know.”

“That's why I asked.”

“And now you'll never know.”

Beau snorted at him and kicked at his shin. “Whatever you say. Hurry up and finish your ice cream. We need to get out of here.”

“Why? I thought we were enjoying ourselves.”

“Apparently, I forgot how annoying you are when we go out. I think I've had my fill for at least a month.”

“Only a month? I thought I did better than that.”

“Keep talking and we might never do this again.”

“That sounds like a fun challenge.”

“It was not a challenge.” Beau cursed under her breath as she dipped down to lick a drip of ice cream falling down the side of the cone. “Look what you did.”

“I did not do anything, but I could make it melt faster if that's what you want.”

“Don't you dare.”

With a shrug of his shoulders, Caleb went back to eating his own ice cream while Beau struggled not to make a mess of herself. By the time she finally crammed the last of the cone in her mouth, her fingers and lips were coated in chocolate. He held back the joke about looking like a toddler as she tried to clean it off with a napkin. When she caught his eye, his amusement must have been obvious because she stuck her tongue out at him.

“Next time, I'm getting something less messy.”

“I don't think that was the problem. You are the mess.”

“No one asked for your opinion, Caleb.” Before he could get out of the way, Beau popped the last of his ice cream directly onto his face. “Looks like I'm not the only one that's a mess.”

“Everyone knows I am a mess. You did not need to do that.”

“Call us even.”

“You are the worst.”

“You're just too slow, old man.”

After wiping the ice cream out of his beard, Caleb flipped her the bird and rose to his feet. “You know Jester told me a really good story about itching powder. Do you think she still has some?”

“Even if she did, she wouldn't give it to you.”

“Oh, I don't know. We are very good friends now. We talk all the time and she's always happy to help, especially with pranks.”

“Not if I tell her not to.”

“She'll definitely want to do it if you tell her not to.”

“You are literally the worst person I have ever had the absolute displeasure of meeting.”

“You shouldn't lie. Your nose will end up-” He mimed his nose elongating with a low whistle to emphasize the action. “Although, that would be funny to see.”

“Do you think if I left you on the side of the road in a box with free written on the side someone would take pity on you and give you a new home?”

“No, I think people would find that very strange.”

“There goes my only hope of getting rid of you.”

“You are stuck with me, like gum on your shoe.”

“That's disgustingly accurate.”

* * *

The headlights illuminated the front door to their place giving them a perfect view of it swaying slightly from the breeze. Instead of immediately turning off the car, Beau reached in the backseat to grab her quarter staff. She leaned forward against the steering wheel to get a better view of the roof and sides of the house. Cautiously, she opened her door, then stepped out of the vehicle with her head on a swivel. When nothing popped out, she dipped back into the car to take the keys out of the ignition.

“Get out of the car. Stay close behind me. Text Jester and tell her to let the others know. Ask if we can stay the night at the Lavish Chateau. It's too late to find a reliable place to stay, and we're definitely not staying here.”

“What is the plan?”

“We're going to go in and check it out. If anyone is still there, we'll deal with them, then figure out what they were doing. We'll need to grab the essential tonight and leave everything else.” Beau placed a hand on his shoulder and gave a firm squeeze. “Hey, you with me?”

“Ja, I am with you.”

“Good. Stay behind me. Be ready to fight.”

“Ready.”

With his phone in one hand and the other ready to pull components, he followed closely behind Beau into the house. The entire place looked like a dragon raged through it, then left when they didn't find what they were looking for. The couch cushions were slashed to piece and the coffee table only had three legs. Their television had been tipped over and the little bits and bobs that found their way into the space were smashed.

Continuing into the house led them to more destruction to their furniture and various belongings. Their mattresses were ripped up similar to the couch and all the books in Caleb's study were knocked to the floor. The only spot that didn't get destroyed was the desk that had a book sitting on it. Even from a distance, he recognized the cover as one that Trent insisted they read when they first started their training.

“We should leave now.”

After glancing between him and the book, Beau placed a hand on his back to guide him out of the room. “Grab some clothes and whatever else you need. I'm going to be right across the hall in my room. Yell if you need anything.”

While the wreckage made it difficult, Caleb filled a bag as quickly as possible with his important belongings, a few changes of clothes and toiletries. After a quick glance around the room to double check he wasn't leaving anything important behind, he headed back to the office. His fingers tightened around the straps of his bag the moment his foot crossed the threshold of the room. He hurried over to the desk to grab the rest of his components, inks and papers, then quickly backed out of the room. The sound of his heart hammering in his chest blocked out Beau's footsteps causing him to jump when her hand suddenly landed on his shoulder.

“Sorry. Are you ready to go?”

“Ja.”

“Good.” Beau released his shoulder as she took the led exiting the house with her quarter staff ready in hand. “What did Jester say?”

“We are welcome to stay at the Lavish Chateau tonight. It won't be a problem.”

“We'll go straight to the Lavish Chateau. I'll leave you with Jester, then go get us something to eat. If you can, tell Nott she needs to handle the shop tomorrow or give her a day off. Whatever works. You're not going in tomorrow.”

“Beauregard-”

“Do not Beauregard me. You're staying put tomorrow with someone while I do a better job of investigating this mess. I'll bring someone I can trust with me, so I have backup. Once I'm done with that, I'll find us a safer place to stay.”

“Just one day?”

“Yeah, just give me one day to figure shit out.”

“One day.”

With a heavy sigh, Beau put the key in the ignition and turned on the car. “On the bright side, Fjord might be able to take a day off tomorrow. The two of you can use this as an excuse to spend more time together.”

“We do not need an excuse to spend time together, unlike you and Jester. Oh, Jester! Our house got broken into and trashed. Can we stay at the Lavish Chateau tonight? I really need someone to hold me in their big, strong arms! Do you think you could do that?”

“Keep being a shit and I'll call Fjord for you, then we'll see who's laughing.”

“I don't think either of us should be laughing right now, but neither of us are very good at properly processing our emotions.”

“Right now really isn't the time to be psychoanalyzing our issues.”

“I was just stating a fact.”

“Well, stop it. If you want to tell facts, do some of your weird cat ones.”

“They are not weird.”

“Dude, you know the number of sounds they can make. That's weird.”

“It is not weird to be informed on my feline friend.” Caleb snapped his fingers to bring Frumpkin into existence in his hands, then cradled him against his chest. “Isn't that right?”

“Are you talking to your cat?”

“Who else is around to have an intelligent conversation with?”

“You have an unhealthy attachment to that cat.”

* * *

While he texted Nott with one hand, the other clutched the mug of hot chocolate Jester immediately put in his hands when he walked through the doors of the Lavish Chateau to his chest. The blanket she wrapped around his shoulders made him feel even cozier in the room she ushered them into upon arriving. From the various paintings on the wall, he thought it reasonable to assume that they were in her room. From what he'd seen in the other rooms of the Lavish Chateau, dicks with wings in all colors of the rainbow did not fit the decor.

“Do you need anything else, Caleb?” Despite there being plenty of space on the couch, Jester dropped onto a plush pillow on the ground across from him. “I can get you more hot chocolate or blankets or I could get you a book.”

“I am good, Jester, but thank you for the offer.”

“Are you sure? It wouldn't be any trouble.”

“I'm positive. We can talk if you want to.”

As her eyes flicked to the balcony door where Beau had been pacing back and forth since they arrived, her tail swished uncertainly behind her. “Do you think she'll be on the phone much longer?”

“There's no telling. Sometimes her conversations with Dairon take five minutes and sometimes they take hours. They have a lot to talk about after what happened today.”

“Are you okay, Caleb? The same people that threatened you did it, right? It's not someone else?”

“Ja, it is them. They were very clear about that.”

“That's good. At least there's not like some crazy stalker that's madly on love with you that decided it was finally time to get you attention or a serial killer that always trashes their victim's homes before they kill them.”

“I suppose knowing who did it is... comforting.”

“It should be!” Jester's smile widened causing her entire face to light up. “We know exactly who we need to beat up to avenge you.”

“Let's not go looking for a fight we're not ready for. We don't even know how many of them there are. I'm sure some of them scattered, but most were very loyal. We might be severely outnumbered.”

“They're going to wish they have more people when we get to them.”

“That is-” A sudden buzzing in his hand distracted him from Jester to find Fjord's name displayed on his phone. “Sorry. Do you mind if I take this?”

“Of course not.”

He flicked his finger across the screen to answer the call, then held the phone up to his ear. “Hello, Fjord. Did you need something?”

“Do I need something? I should be the one asking you that. I just saw Jester's text. Are you two doing okay?”

“I'm... doing the best I can. It is not an ideal situation, but things could've been much worse. There are far harsher ways they could have sent that message. All that stuff can be replaced.”

“Well, I'm glad you're both safe. I hate to think what would've happened if you had been there when they showed up.”

“It is unlikely that would have happened. I'm sure they were waiting for us to be away before they did that.”

“The sentiment stands. I'm glad you're both safe. I know you're staying with Jester tonight, but is there anything I can do to help?”

“No, you've done more than enough already.”

“Caleb,” The gentle rumble of Fjord's voice halted further protests from leaving his mouth. “I told you before. I want to help. If there's anything I can do for you, just tell me what it is and I'll do it.”

With a shaky breath, Caleb leaned forward to place his mug on the table to prevent his shaking hands from spilling it. Once he had a free hand, he tugged the blanket tighter around his shoulders and turned his body to curl into the back cushions of the couch. While he hoped the comfort surrounding him would be enough to prevent the panic from taking over, tears were pouring from his eyes before he could catch his breath. His tongue felt too heavy in his mouth to form words and his chest felt like someone put their foot on it, then pressed down with all their weight.

“Caleb, I need you to breath for me.” Despite his best efforts to follow the instructions, the world felt too small for him to fill his lungs. “Hey, I'm going to let my boss know I've got a family emergency, so I won't be in tomorrow, then I'm going to pack a bag and come to you. Do you think you can answer another call if I hang up to call them real quick?”

“I... Fjord that's-”

“If the end of that sentence is something ridiculous like that's not necessary, I don't want to hear it. I know there are things in your past that I don't know, but what I do know is that Jester and Molly and Yasha taught me that you do anything for the people closest to you. You, Beau, Nott and Cad are all part of that group. I would do the same for any of them. We're a tight knit group and we take care of our own. So, I'm just going to make a quick call, then I'll be right there. Sound good?”

“Ja.”

“Okay, I'll see you soon, Caleb.”

As he dropped the phone from his ear, he felt a pair of strong arms wrap around him and a body press tightly against his. A horn bumped playfully against the side of his head, then Jester placed her chin on his head with a low hum. He brought a hand up to squeeze her wrist in thanks as he leaned back into her for support.

“Did I hear Fjord's coming? Should I invite the others? We could have a big sleepover! No one would try to get you when all of us are here.”

“It's late. I wouldn't want to bother anyone else.”

“You're not a bother, Caleb!” The arms around him tightened to the point he could feel his ribs battling against them for air. "Loving someone isn't a bother. Now, give me your phone so I can see if the others can come over. Mine died and I have no idea where I left the charger.”

“You can borrow mine.”

“Aw, thank you, Caleb!”

Fingers snatched the phone in his hand to type a message to the group chat at the same time Jester smacked a kiss on his cheek. After responding to several messages, Jester finally returned his phone and released her hold on him. She pressed another kiss to his cheek, then hopped up from the couch to grab his mug from the table.

“I'm going to get you more of this. Hot chocolate is the best when you're feeling bad, so you need more. Oh, I'll also get you a blanket. Do you mind if I go through your bag to find your charger?”

“No.”

“Thanks, Caleb! I'll be back with this before you can miss me. Don't move.”

“I wouldn't dare.”

“Good!” With a flick of her tail, Jester slipped out of the room humming an unfamiliar song under her breath as she went.

* * *

“Mind if I join you?” After gesturing for Fjord to take a seat next to him, the other man carefully lowered himself down with his legs dangling off the edge of the balcony. “I love watching the sunrise. I'll never get over that sight.”

“It is beautiful, but I don't know if it beats the sun rising over the mountains. That is a sight to behold.”

“I think I'll politely disagree with you on that one. The reflection of it off the ocean can't be beat.”

“That's fine. You can be wrong all you'd like, and I won't stop you.”

“Wow. Thank you for allowing me that honor.”

“You're welcome.”

Fjord rolled his eyes at him, then went back to enjoying the sunrise with his legs swinging back and forth. The peaceful silence that fell between them felt more relaxing than when Caleb had been sitting on the balcony alone. Last night still weighed heavy on his mind but having someone nearby gave his mind something else to focus on. Warmth radiated off Fjord and his leg occasionally brushed against Caleb's.

“Do you want to talk about it yet or no?”

With a heavy sigh, Caleb rested his arms on the lowest rung of the balcony railing and pillowed his chin on them. "Not particularly, but I feel as though I owe you an explanation.”

“You don't owe me anything. We can talk about something else.”

“What would you suggest we talk about?”

“We could ask each other questions to get to know each other better, like... Well, I already know your favorite animal. Oh, what is your favorite color?”

“Green.”

“Okay. Now, your turn to ask a question.”

“How old are you?”

Fjord pressed a hand to his chest and gasped. “I can't believe you would ask that. It's rude to ask someone their age.”

“I do not care if you know how old I am. I am thirty-three.”

“I feel like you get another question now.”

“But you still haven't answered mine and you have not asked me another.”

“I know, but it only seems fair since you told me your age.”

“It is not a big deal. I can ask a different question if it makes you uncomfortable to discuss-”

“It's fine. I'm just pulling your leg. Thirty. I'm thirty.”

“I see why you didn't want to tell me. That is very old, but you should know you don't look it. Your grey hair just makes you seem very mature.”

“Was that a joke?”

“Did you think it was funny?”

“A little.”

“Then it was a joke.” Before Fjord could catch his leg on a backswing, Caleb moved his leg out of the way with a glare. “Where are you from?”

“Port Damali.”

“Do you miss it?”

“Not really. Here I have a home with people I care about. I never really had that there. When I could, I hopped on the first boat out of there and only went back when we were in port.”

“What made you settle down here instead of continuing your adventures on the sea?”

“Some stuff happened that changed the direction of my life.”

“You do not need to talk about it.”

“Not today. One day though, I will.”

“I look forward to learning more about you.”

“What about you? Where are you from?”

A heavy sigh fell from his lips as he straightened up and turned his head to look at the city rather than Fjord. “A small town in the Zemni Fields near Rexxentrum.”

“What town?”

“Blumenthal. It is not very well known, but it was my home for a time.”

“And you and Beau moved here from Zadash.”

“Ja, but I was not there very long. A little over a year.”

“Do you think you'll stick around here longer?”

“You have gotten to ask a lot of questions." Before Fjord could apologize, he turned to give Fjord a small smile. "It would be nice to. I have set down roots here, but things could change. There are a lot of variables at the moment.”

“Hopefully, we can do something about that because I, for one, would prefer you stay.”

“I would, too. Is it my turn to ask a question?”

“Absolutely. I think you get at least three of them.”

“What was your favorite place that you visited during your travels?”

“That's a tough one. Give me time to think about it and I'll get back to you on that one. What else you got?”

“Have you ever had a pet?”

“Can't say I have. Life at sea isn't really fitting for most animals and I don't spend a lot of time at home, so I don't see the point in getting a pet.”

“Don't a lot of boats have cats?”

“Some do, but most of the time it's not some random crew member's cat. Also, I'm allergic. If I did have a pet, it wouldn't be a cat.”

“Your life must be so empty.”

“You know, I'm really concerned about how much you love cats. It's starting to sound very unhealthy.”

While looking Fjord directly in the eye, he snapped his fingers to make Frumpkin appear around his neck like a scarf. He scratched his fingers under Frumpkin's chin causing him to contentedly purr in response. Fjord rolled his eyes at him, then took something out of his pocket that turned out to be a pill bottle. After shaking out a couple pills, he popped them into his mouth and swallowed them.

“How long have you had those in your pocket?”

“I wanted to be prepared in case you need Frumpkin last night, then I forgot they were in there.”

Caleb raised his eyebrow at him, but Fjord just shrugged. “Well, I'm glad you're not in danger of sneezing your brain out of your nose because of my cat.”

“I don't think that's a possibility, but I appreciate the concern for my wellbeing.”

“Thank you for being concerned about mine. You have been very kind to me. All of you have. Last night would have been a lot worse if you all weren't around to help.”

“I'm glad I could help. Hopefully, there's something more we can do to help.”

“I would prefer all of you stay out of this as much as possible, but I'm sure we'll find out what to expect when Beau returns.”

“It's a bit late for us to stay out of it. I don't know if you've noticed yet, but we tend to really stick our nose in it once we know about things.”

“Ja, I noticed. It's kind of hard not to.”

“We do it because we care.”

“I noticed that too.” After moving Frumpkin to his lap, Caleb shifted close enough to lean against Fjord with his head resting on his shoulder. "Thank you.”

“You're welcome, Caleb.”

* * *

After plopping down heavily on a chair, Beau rubbed at her temples and let out a heavy sigh that rolled through her entire body. When she finally straightened up, the stress showed in the deep frown pulling down the corners of her lips. She tapped her finger rhythmically against the table as she stared across the room with her eyebrows pulled together in aggravation.

“Beauregard?”

Tired eyes met his as Beau reached down to grab her bag off the ground and placed it on the table. “I don't find anything harmful or any traces of magically tampering. They destroyed anything that wouldn't take more effort than knocking over or running a knife through, except for your study. All the books except that one they put on your desk were ripped up. Jester managed to fix most of them.”

“They didn't leave anything behind?”

“Not that we found. We tried to detect magic and looked anywhere that a note or message could be left. Nothing. I did grab us more changes of clothing and a few other things that weren't ruined. Your books are in the car.”

“I can't say I'm surprised they covered their tracks, but it would have been comforting to have some confirmation on whether others are here.”

“Do you think she's here?”

“It is more likely than not.” Unthinkingly, his fingers began picking at his forearms, until Beau placed a hand over one to still him. “Eodwulf without her is very unlikely. We did everything as a unit. Just because I left doesn't mean that changed.”

“Then we'll assume that both of them are an issue that could show up at any moment, until we have proof that one of them isn't here.”

“And what is our plan now? Obviously, our home is no longer an option. They've made it painfully clear they have access to that.”

“I was considering a few options, but Jester's mom was kind enough to offer us a place to stay here. Actually, she more insisted that we stay and offered rooms to the other since they could be targeted as well.”

“That is too kind of her. Are you sure staying here would be a good idea? We could be putting a lot more people at risk if they decide to do the same here.”

Beau shrugged her shoulders as she leaned back in her chair with her arms crossed over her chest. “I brought that up in my conversation with her, but she had a few very compelling arguments. There's a lot more security here-people and equipment. Plus, all of being in one place can be a benefit to us the same way it could benefit them. We just have to make sure we use it to our advantage.”

“I'm not sure it is the best idea, but if it has you convinced, then I'll go along with it.”

“This is only a temporary solution. I'll continue to look for other options, but this is the best one we have at the moment. Any other place that's available comes with too many unknowns. Here we have a direction connection, which means we won't have to worry about information being fed to them. Of course, we can't trust everyone here, but it's better than no one.”

“Okay. What do you suggest we do next?”

“There are a few other things I'd like to check before calling the investigation done for the day. I'm also going to stop by the store to pick up a few things to replace what we lost. Is there anything you need?”

“No, I can make do with what I have.”

“Caleb," The look Beau gave him almost had him squirming in his seat in discomfort. “you don't need to just get by with what you have. If there's something you need, let me know.”

“I'll... let you know if I think of anything.”

“Good.”

“I did have a question for you, but only if you have the time. It can wait.”

“Ask away.”

“Do you think it will be possible for me to return to work tomorrow? I know she would be willing, but I do not want to put all the responsibility of the shop on her shoulders. There are other responsibilities she has in her personal life that I do not want to infringe on because I am not able to complete mine.”

“We'll figure something out.”

“Thank you, Beauregard.”

“Yeah, of course.” After looking at something on her phone, Beau rose from her chair as she grabbed the car keys out of her pocket. “I've got to go now, but I'll be back later. Stay here with Fjord and Jester. She finished unloading your books out of the car and put them in the room you'll be staying in. Remember to call or text me if you need anything. I'll be back as soon as I can.”

“You should take someone with you. They know we are living together. I don't think your affiliation to the Cobalt Soul will dissuade them from using you to get to me.”

“I can't, but I'll check in with you every hour if it'll make you feel better.”

“I would feel better if you had backup, but I suppose that is as good a compromise as any.”

“Listen, most of the people I'm meeting don't take kindly to new people. We're going to be meeting in public spaces that a more difficult to cause a commotion in for the very reason you're concerned about. All parties are paranoid, so the likeliness of something happening is very low. Plus, this is kinda what I do. I know how to get myself out of difficult situations.”

“Just be careful.”

“I will.”

“Good. Don't worry about me. Just distract yourself with books or Fjord or something.”

“Please leave now.”

A low chuckle shook through Beau's body as she made her way out of the room with the car keys swinging around her finger. With no one else in the room, Caleb took a moment to slump in his chair and take a few calming breaths. As he straightened back up, a firm knock sounded against the door, then Fjord poked his head through.

“Did Beau leave already?"

“Ja, she just left."

“Damn, I wanted to ask her something.” Fjord leaned against the doorway with a frown on his face. “Guess it'll have to wait. In any case, are you up to joining us? We were about to have lunch.”

“I'll be right there.”

“Alright. We'll wait for you then.”

“Thank you, Fjord.”

“Don't mention it. We'll be in Jester's room.”

“Okay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos always greatly appreciated. You can find me on Tumblr ([SociallyAwkwardFoxWriter](http://sociallyawkwardfoxwriter.tumblr.com/)) or Twitter ([@AwkFoxy](https://twitter.com/AwkFoxy)).


	7. Chapter 6

While most of the day had been relatively quiet, a late afternoon crowd kept him so busy he didn't have time to do much else. Between helping customers find what they were looking for and covering the register, the afternoon went in a blur that left him barely able to stand. With closing time fast approaching, he put all his remaining energy to keeping his eyes open as he waited for the lone woman in the shop to make her purchase. After a long moment of consideration, she plucked a book from the shelf she spent several minutes inspecting, then headed for the counter.

When she placed the book on the counter, he gave her a friendly smile as he picked it up to scan the code. She spun a lock of pitch-black hair around her finger as she waited for him to ring up the total. As soon as it appeared, her perfectly manicured fingers disappeared in her bag to retrieve the exact amount of gold. As she passed it over to him, the tips of her fingers brushed against his open palm.

With a nod of thanks, she took the book and left the shop having not said a single word to him. Despite the anxiety building in his chest at the odd interaction, he forced himself to focus on wiping down the counter and clearing out the register for the night. He was just finished up when the door opened once more as Beau entered and flipped the sign around behind her. She leaned against the wall while she waited for him to finished and grab his belongings from the back room.

Once they stepped into the fresh night air, he locked the shop up behind them and followed Beau to the car. After taking the passenger's seat, he pulled his phone out of his pocket to find a series of unread messages from Fjord. He relaxed back into the seat as he read through Fjord's ramblings and annoyance at having to deal with a particularly stubborn coworker. A smile found its way onto his lips at the sight of a blurry photo Fjord took of himself rushing to his car, then a follow up of him looking relieved in his front seat.

“What are you smiling about?” He checked out of the corner of his eyes to find Beau glancing between him and the stoplight. “Did you get some good news or something?”

“No. It's just... some messages Fjord sent.”

“What kind of messages?”

“He was at work.”

“So? That doesn't stop people from sending dirty messages.”

“They weren't dirty messages.” When Beau gave him a look, he glared at her in annoyance and slumped down in the seat. “They weren't dirty messages! He was at work.”

“That doesn't mean they can't be dirty messages. Plenty of people send dirty messages while they're at work.”

“Even if that's true, Fjord does not strike me as the type of person to send dirty message during work hours. Also, there's no reason for him to be sending me dirty messages in the first place.”

“Well, the two of you are sharing a room now. I don't know what the two of you get up to in there. For all I know, he has plenty of reason to send you dirty messages.”

“We do not get up to anything in there.”

“So what? You just sit around in awkward silence?”

“No, but we don't do that.”

“Sharing a room could be the perfect time for you to tell him.”

“Have you told Jester?”

“No.”

He looked down at his phone as he searched for the right words to continue their conversation. “I don't think telling him while we're rooming together isn't a good idea for a number of reasons. If he isn't interested, rooming together would become awkward at best. If he is interested, we don't know how long we will be rooming together, and it might feel like things are moving too fast.”

“You've thought about this a lot.”

“I like him a lot. Maybe, we could make things work in the future, but I don't think now is a good time to try for a relationship. There are things in my past that I think he should know before we developed a further relationship, and I would like to know more about him.”

“That's fair." After parking the car and turning off the engine, Beau turned to give him her full attention. “So, what were you smiling about?”

“Oh, he was just telling me about his day and sent me a few silly pictures. It's nothing special.”

“Yeah, but it got you to smile, which is something you don't do a lot. You definitely haven't been doing it much since that dick showed his face, so it might not seem like anything special but it kind of is.”

“Should I be smiling more?”

“That's not what I said. I just mean that it's good to see you smiling again. Even if it's because of some stupid texts that Fjord sent you about work.”

“I did not say they were stupid.”

“You didn't have to. I've gotten texts from Fjord complaining about work before.”

“I would not call them stupid.”

“Of course, you wouldn't. You're half in love with the guy.”

“Well, I am done with this conversation.”

Before Beau could stop him, Caleb exited the car with his bag slung over his shoulder and hurried over to the entrance of the Lavish Chateau. He waved in greeting at the receptionist, then hurried up the stairs to the room he was sharing with Fjord. As soon as the door close behind him, he leaned against it for support and let out a tired sigh. A throat clearing drew his eyes to the half-orc sitting in an armchair with an open book on his lap.

“Hello, Fjord. Apologies for interrupting.”

“You're not interrupting. Rough day?”

“A little busy, but not nearly as rough as yours.”

A soft smile stretched across Fjord's face. “So, you did get my texts. I was starting to worry I was sending some random person a bunch of really weird texts.”

“The afternoon got a little hectic. I wasn't able to check my phone until after work and by the time I got caught up we were almost here. Thank you for the pictures. Those were very entertaining.”

“Well, I'm always happy to entertain.”

“That is good to know.”

“Make sure to keep it in mind the next time you're bored.”

“I will. Promise.”

“Good.” After shutting the book, Fjord rose from the chair and stretched his arms over his head revealing a sliver of green skin. “I was about to head down to grab something for dinner. Do you want me to grab you something?”

“You don't need to bother-”

“It's not a bother. I'm going down there anyway, and you look like you need to get off your feet. If you're hungry, I'll grab some food while you get settled.”

“That would be greatly appreciated.”

“Dinner coming right up.”

Once the door clicked shut before Fjord, the bag dropped from his shoulder so he could tug his clothing off. He quickly changed into more casual clothing, then dropped into the chair across from the one Fjord had been sitting in. Once his butt hit the squishy seat, all the muscles in his body relaxed into the cushions. If his stomach weren't growling at him, he would've been tempted to fall asleep immediately.

When the door opened, he forced his eyes open and accepted the bowl Fjord held out to him. “Still awake?”

“Barely. I don't think I'll be very good company tonight.”

“Luckily, you don't need to be. I'll go hang out with Jester and Beau so you can sleep.”

“It's fine. I think I could sleep through anything at this point.”

“Are you sure the light won't bother you?”

“No, I don't mind it.”

“If you're sure, I promise not to turn the pages too loud.”

“Funny.” Caleb speared a ravioli on his fork, then pointed it threateningly at Fjord. “Very funny.”

* * *

“Want to get some fresh air?”

After finishing the sentence, Caleb looked up from his book to find Fjord leaning casually against the armchair. His hair looked windswept and the faint smell of saltwater came off him in subtle waves that spoke of a morning spent by the sea. The charming smile on his face had Caleb tilting his head curiously to the side as he shut the book resting in his lap.

“Is that allowed?”

“Well, I just got done speaking with your keeper and she agreed that getting you out of the Lavish Chateau for a few hours is allowed. You just have to stick to me like glue and never leave my sight. We are also to stick with lightly populated areas and avoid all alleys, side streets and large crowds. Easy.”

“Beauregard is not my keeper, but all of that is good to know." His gaze flicked to the open balcony door letting warm sunlight stream into the room. "It is a nice day out. Going outside for an hour or two does sound tempting...”

“Come on, Caleb. Give into the temptation.”

“That sounds like something a troublemaker would say.”

“Don't you trust me?”

Caleb waited a beat before heading to the wardrobe to grab his scarf and a light jacket that he pulled on. He looked at himself in the mirror as he mulled over the best way to disguise his appearance during their outing. The dark blue of the scarf brought to mind a certain tiefling that he changed his appearance into a male version of. Once he was sure nothing in the disguise immediately gave away its magical nature, he turned back to Fjord.

“What do you think?”

The other man crossed the room to poke through the illusory horn with a small smile playing on his lips. “Not too bad. I certainly wouldn't notice you're not a tiefling. I'm sure Jester will be flattered.”

“What she does not-" The shutter of Fjord's cell phone camera cut off his sentence. “Do not.”

“Too late.”

“I am beginning to regret my decision to go along with your antics.”

“Let me change your mind.”

When Fjord held out a hand, Caleb didn't hesitate to place his own on it and went along with the gentle tug out the room. Their hand remained locked as Fjord guided them along the winding streets of Nicodranas. The relaxed confidence radiating off Fjord kept his anxiety at bay despite getting further away from the safety of the Lavish Chateau. After walking along several winding streets, Fjord came to a stop outside a beautifully decorated shop. The window display included a variety of colorful bits and bobs that drew his eye.

“You know we're allowed to go inside, right?”

“Let me enjoy this, Fjord.” He ignored the eye roll he could see in the window in favor of taking a step closer to the glass. “How did you find this place?”

“Jester likes to come here for art supplies and other materials to use in her shenanigans for the Traveler. There's always something interesting.”

“Do they have nice paper and ink?”

“I think so? Jester normally looks at the paints.”

“Come on.”

With his hold on Fjord's hand, he pulled the other man into the shop behind him even though he knew he would follow him. A soft lavender smell filled the air around them gently guided them further into the comfort of the small shop. Chimes and other hanging items filled every available space that wouldn't get in the way of customers. They passed shelves of glass object, a wide variety of incense, bottles of paints, intricately decorated leather-bound journals. While he was tempted to take the time to carefully inspect every shelf, he doubted Fjord's patience would allow for that.

When he found stacks of fine paper and a collection of expensive inks, Caleb released Fjord's hand. A comparison of the different papers and inks revealed a few selections of each that he could use for spell work. He loaded up his arms with as much as he could reasonably afford, then turned to find Fjord blocking his way to the register. The man looked pointed down at the paper and ink before meeting Caleb's gaze and raising an eyebrow.

“What?”

“Nothing. Just-” Fjord loudly cleared his throat as he stepped out of the way, so Caleb could purchase his items. “Seems like a lot of paper and ink for one person.”

“Wizards need a lot of paper and ink. Specifically, quality paper and ink like this.”

“Well, don't let me stop you from purchasing it to your heart's content.”

“I won't.”

After giving the individual at the register a smile, he placed the merchandise on the counter and waited patiently for them to scan the barcodes. He handed over money to cover the purchase, then accepted the bag held out to him as he looped his free arm through Fjord's elbow. Once they exited the shop, Fjord directed them further down the street at the same relaxed pace as before.

They stopped at a few more shops along the street, until they ended up at a small cart selling warm nuts. His eyes lit up in excitement at the sugary smell that met his nose the closer they drew to it. Despite trying to tap it down, Fjord picked up on his interest and led them over to purchase a bag. Before he could pull money out of his pocket, Fjord handed it over in exchange for a bag of nuts.

“You didn't need to do that.”

“Do what?” Fjord held up the open bag of nuts for Caleb to take one, then shook it when he didn't immediately do so. “Come on. You know you want some.”

“Thank you, Fjord.”

“You're welcome. Now, we should be getting back. Beau will be pissed if I keep you out longer than we agreed.”

“It was very kind of you to do this. I'm sure you had better things to be doing today.”

“Not at all. Spending time with you is always a pleasure and getting you out of the Chateau was just a bonus. I'm sure you're sick of spending all your time there or at Fireside. A little fresh air once and awhile is important.”

He took his time chewing on a few nuts to get his thoughts together. “It is not so bad, but I do appreciate the effort you took on my behalf to make this happen. This has been very nice.”

“We'll have to do it again.”

“I agree.”

They fell into silence the rest of the walk back to the Lavish Chateau where they were met by Beau leaning stiffly against next to the backdoor. Her eyes immediately landed on their arms still looped together, then quickly assessed them both. When she seemed satisfied by what she saw, Beau pushed off the wall to open the door for them.

“You're late.”

“Are not.” Fjord's arm disconnected from his, so he could reach across Caleb to playfully shove Beau's shoulder. “How long have you been standing there?”

“Not long. I was just getting ready to track you both down.”

“We were not late. Everything went fine. Caleb even bought a ton of paper and ink. I'd count that as a successful outing.”

Blue eyes locked onto his as Beau slung her arm across his shoulders to drag him closer to her. “Did you see anything or anyone concerning? No weird magic or people tailing you?”

“No, I did not notice anything. We were either unseen or they kept their distance.”

“Good to know.” She gave him a quick squeeze, then let her arm drop off his shoulders. “By the way, we're all having dinner together in Jester's room tonight. She wants us to have a group dinner, so don't forget.”

“We will be there.”

“Good. Go enjoy your paper or whatever it was you planned to do.”

“Go punch people in the face or whatever it was you planned to do.”

“I will do just that.”

* * *

Rain soaked his clothes, until they hung so heavy on his body his shoulders slumped under the weight pressing against them. He took several steps forward through the mud and slick grass, until he came to the top of a hill. Despite the rain, flame illuminated the darkness as a house near the edge of the small town below him burned. In his haste to descend the hill, his feet slipped on the grass sending him tumbling the rest of the way down. His head slammed against the ground several times before he finally came to a stop at the foot of the hill.

After the dizziness subsided, he staggered to feet and shrugged off the soaked coat weighing him down. As quickly as he could, he sprinted for the house still in a bright blaze that didn't appear to be diminishing. He pushed his body to keep moving, but the distance between him and the house only seemed to grow. Despite that, he could hear the crackling of the flame getting louder and terrified screams of the people trapped inside. Desperate calls for help filled his head as the pumping of his blood roared in his ears.

The smell. The sound. The sight.

With a frustrated scream, he fell to his knees and slammed his fists angrily into the ground causing mud to splash across his face. When he raised his head, the burning house loomed over him like a horrific beacon in the dark. A hand stretched out to reach for it and was greeted but a lick of flame that swirled up his arm. He could feel the heat against his skin but felt no pain.

As he brought his other up to try for the door again, more fire ran across his skin to encompass his lower arm. He looked down at the flame covering his forearms, then let out a gasp of pain when something under his skin pulsed. When the pain intensified, the fire flared brighter and hotter, until orange shifted to blue. A scream of pain tore through his throat as he tossed his head back to keep his face away from the flame that flared out of him.

He struggled to keep his breathing under control at the sight of the house igniting blue and the pain growing more intense. Just when he thought the pain would overtake him, the pulsing slowed to a stop that left him shaking. His arms were covered in ash and blood with a sickening green glowing just under the skin. The rain did nothing to wash it away as he rose to his feet and took a step toward the burning house. He inched closer and closer, until he could reach out to turn the doorknob.

A hand landed on his shoulder as his fingers brushed against the heated metal, then a voice filled his head. “There's nothing left for you here. It's just an empty tomb now. This is no place for the living.”

“I could have saved them.”

“You're weak, but I can make you strong. I can teach you to control what you fear. You can use it for good. To save people from those that would harm them. To serve the Empire, so no one suffers the same fate your parents did.”

“I-” With a shaky breath, he let his hand fall away from the doorknob. “I should have never listened to you. Lies from the very beginning. I should have opened the door.”

“You've always been too weak to do what needs to be done. You'll burn for it. Just like them, Bren.”

The sweat soaked through his shirt stuck it to his chest as peeled the sheets back, so he could get out of bed. While his heart hammered violently, he did his best to keep his movements slow to avoid waking up the man still fast asleep in the other bed. His legs wobbled dangerously when he rose to his feet, but he managed to reach the closet without falling over. Shaking fingers struggled to open the door to get a new shirt to replace the drenched one clinging to his skin.

After switching his shirt, Caleb made his way over to the balcony doors with the thought of fresh air-no ash or burning flesh-keeping him going. The click of the lock turning followed by a low squeak of the hinges had his eyes flicking over to Fjord. When the man remained unmoved, a shaky sigh of relief fell from his lips before he slipped out the door and quietly closed it behind him. He leaned his full weight against the railing and closed his eyes to feel the cool breeze blowing against his face.

When memories of his dream began to surface, he forced his eyes open to see Nicodranas stretched out before him. There was no fire or ruined home or devil whispering in his ear. The crystals still buried beneath his skin weren't pulse with an uncontrollable energy he didn't understand. He drew in one breath, then the next.

The taste of salt water in the air was nothing like his nightmare. The moon bathing him in a silvery light was nothing like his nightmare. The noise of a city that never truly slept was nothing like his nightmare.

He was just starting to get his emotions under control when the door behind him squeaked open causing his heart rate to spike once more. When he spun around to find the source of the noise, the man stepped out paused to lift his hands up for Caleb to see. His nails dug into his forearms as he struggled to slow his breathing and calm his heart trying to beat out of his chest. As Fjord slowly lowered his hands, Caleb watched his every move as he tried to step backwards. The railing dug uncomfortably into his lower back, but he didn't let that stop him from moving as far back as possible.

“Do you want me to leave, Caleb?” Despite wanting to speak, all he could do was stare at Fjord and dig his fingers deeper into his skin. “Would you like me to get Beau for you? Caleb, I need you to stop doing that. You're going to seriously hurt yourself.”

After several tense moments, Fjord stepped forward to gently wrap his hands around Caleb's wrist to ease them away. Instead of fighting against it, Caleb let Fjord guide his hands away, then thread their fingers together so he wouldn't be able to dig into his forearms again. The loss of pain made him hyperaware of the blood sliding down his arms to mingle with their joined hands. Blood always so much blood dripping to the floor.

“Caleb, come back. There's nothing here that can hurt you. I promise that you're safe. We should get those cleaned up, so they don't get infected. Can we go inside to do that, or do you want to stay out here?”

“The smell. Can't take the smell.”

“Okay, okay.” Fjord released his hands to gently tilt his face back, so he looked him directly in the eyes. “I need you to stay right here. I'm going to get a first aid kit to clean your cuts. It shouldn't take longer than ten minutes. I'll take my phone with me and bring you your phone. If you need me, all you have to do is call. Okay?”

“Don't tell Beau. Please.”

“I won't. All I'm going to do is get a first aid kit. There's a couple in the kitchens in case of emergencies. I'll go there to get one and come right back.”

“Right back.”

“Yes, right back.”

Despite the hands on his face, Caleb gave a nod of agreement that earned him a small smile. Fjord's hands released his face as he turned back to the room and returned a few minutes later with Caleb's phone in hand. When Caleb's hands struggled to keep his grip on it, Fjord helped him sit on the ground and place it right to him with Fjord's contact information pulled up. He paused to run a hand through Caleb's hair, then disappeared once more after promising to return soon.

It seemed like no time past before Fjord returned with a first aid kit and a blanket that he set next to Caleb. After pulling on gloves from the first aid kit, Fjord gently lifted one of Caleb's arm with his hand to make cleaning the cuts easier. The sting of the disinfectant wipe running over his open wounds caused a shiver to run down his spine. Once Fjord finished cleaning them, he pulled out a bandage roll that he wrapped around his arms, then taped off. He did the same process on Caleb's other arm, then gathered up the trash to throw away and packed the kit back up.

When Fjord returned to the balcony, he knelt next to Caleb with the blanket held up in offering until Caleb nodded. He wrapped the blanket around Caleb's shoulders and settled next to him with his back against the railing. Instead of focusing on Fjord, Caleb looked down at his bandaged arms and fought the urge to rip them off. He spent so long with his arms bound that it felt like Trent's hold on him was tightening again. Nightmares, constantly looking over his shoulder, the itch.

“How about we cover those up?” Green hands tugged the blanket over his bandaged covered arms. “Better?”

“I'm sorry for waking you.”

“You didn't. I didn't even realize you were out here when I first woke up. I just needed to go to the bathroom and noticed you weren't in your bed when I headed back to bed.”

“I'm keeping you from sleeping.”

“It's not a big deal. Honestly, I wish you would've woken me up. It pains me that you were out here on struggling on your own. Next time wake me up. Even if you don't want my help, just let me know that you need to have space out here. The last thing I want to do is make it worse by startling you or making you uncomfortable.”

Caleb played with the edge of the blanket, so he wouldn't pick at the bandages hidden just underneath the fabric. “You handled that well.”

“I have some experience being on the other end. It's hard to forget the feeling. I just did what helped me.”

“Your voice is very soothing. It helped when you talked. It's easy to get lost in my own head when that happens, but your voice makes a good distraction.”

“I'll make sure to remember that for next time. What about touching?”

“It helps. Go slow and don't grab me too tight.”

“Okay. I can do that.” A yawn slipped out as Fjord stretched an arm out to wrap around Caleb's shoulders, then slouched more comfortably against the railing. “Mind if I catch a little more sleep? I'll never hear the end of it if they catch me falling asleep on the job.”

“You can go back to bed, Fjord. You don't have to stay out here with me.”

“The last time I slept outside I was still a sailor. I forget how nice it is.”

Emotion swelled in his chest at the kindness Fjord showed him when he could so easily take the out. “Thank you, Fjord.”

* * *

Warmth from the mug helped him relax as his eyes roamed the tea shop while he waited for the tea to cool. Most of the faces were unfamiliar, but he recognized a few regulars, like Shakaste sitting at a corner table with the Grand Duchess perched on his shoulder. The bird gave a curious head tilt, then let out a little tune that drew the attention of a few patron. A woman waiting at the counter for her drink turned to the noise revealing a surprisingly familiar face.

The same woman the purchased a book from his shop a few days ago shifted her gaze from the bird to him. A shiver ran down his spine at the strange sensation of familiarity prickled at his brain. Something about the woman's posture and the hardness of her eyes made his fingers tense around the mug. Her piercing eyes bore right through him, until the distraction of her order being complete drew them away.

Quickly, he dropped his gaze to the tea, so he wouldn't accidentally lock eyes when she turned around again. It proved to be a mistake when the chair across from his at the small table pulled out and the woman sat down. He straightened from his slumped position to watch her carefully as she took a sip of the steaming tea. When she set it back on the table, the magic surrounding her dropped to reveal dirty blonde hair and brown eyes. While he wanted nothing more than to flee the shop, Caleb stayed planted in his seat.

“It is good to see you again, Bren. You seem happy. Much happier than you had been.” The fleeting smile that crossed her face caused the new scar running along the side of it to strangely twist her features. “If you were unhappy, you should have said something. We would have helped you.”

“Would you? You know what he's doing, and you still went along with it and continue to. What Trent wants isn't something any one person should have. It's too much power for one person.”

“Good could come of it.”

“Good? What good did we ever do? We tortured people for information and killed anyone that wanted to get in Trent's way. Is this who we wanted to be? People willing to do anything on the off chance it might do a little good at some point in the future?”

“Greater things take sacrifice.”

A hollow laugh fell from his lips as he leaned back in his chair to put as much distance as possible between them. “This is exactly why I didn't say anything to you. You're blinded by your ambitions. You think it's all worth it as long as you achieve your goal. Trent experimented on us. He tortured us for his own personal benefit, but you don't see anything wrong with that. It was just another step closer to power.”

“You've always let your heart control your decisions too much.”

“I'd rather do that than be heartless.”

“It'll get you killed.” Astrid took another sip of her tea, then set the mug down and folded her hands on the table. “When the time comes, I hope your heart tells you that coming with us is for the best. Eodwulf and the others are prepared to do what is necessary to force your hand. The happiness you found here would be in jeopardy if that happened.”

“What about you? Are you prepared to do what is necessary to put me back on a leash?”

“I've always done what is necessary, but I would prefer not to. These people are good for you. Better than we ever were.”

“Ja, they are, and I would never see them again if I went with you willingly. I am not foolish enough to believe that whatever Trent has in mind for me would end well. My life means nothing if he can exchange it for the power he seeks.”

“This has been what we were working toward for years. You knew the risks from the beginning.”

“It is a risk I am no longer willing to pay. I used to believe that everything that came out of his mouth, then I realized how much of it was lies and deception. Not just to outsiders, but to us. To the ones he claimed to be training for a brighter future. There is no brighter future in his version.”

With a heavy sigh, Astrid turned her head to see the monk and ex-sailor entering the shop, then back to him. “What we set in motion so long ago is going to come to fruition. Enjoy the happiness you have here while you can. Maybe, if things had been different, this life would've been all you knew. You'd get your happy ending with a book shop to call your own and a family that love you, but that was never in the cards for us.”

“Maybe so, but that doesn't mean I can't fight tooth and nail to keep what I made for myself.”

“Don't do anything you'll regret. You'll carry that weight on your shoulders for the rest of your life, just like your parents. I will see you soon, Bren.”

She didn't bother to renew her disguise as she rose from the chair and walked past the two that entered on her way out. Anger immediately burst from Beau at a face she knew well, but her concern won out when she directed her attention to him. The bell above the door chimed when the door clicked shut behind her leaving the only evidence of her ever being here the abandoned mug on the table.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos always greatly appreciated. You can find me on Tumblr ([SociallyAwkwardFoxWriter](http://sociallyawkwardfoxwriter.tumblr.com/)) or Twitter ([@AwkFoxy](https://twitter.com/AwkFoxy)).


	8. Chapter 7

“I can't believe that bitch had the nerve to show her face!” The stomping of Beau's feet against the floor as she angrily wore a hole in Jester's bright pink rug emphasized her every word. “And that's all she said to you? You're not leaving anything out because you think it'll spare us from some horrible fate or something stupid like that?”

“That was all that she said. I'm not keeping anything from you, Beauregard.”

“Good because I'd kick your ass if you did. Now is not the time to be keeping information to yourself. The more information I have the better I'll be able to figure this out.”

“You have all the information I know. I would not put your life on the line by withholding information from you.”

With a heavy sigh, Beau rubbed at her temples, then dropped onto the bed next to him and leaned her head against his shoulder. “I know, but it feels like I'm running in circles. They're doing a good job of staying quiet and sticking to the shadows. Most people here haven't even heard of them and those that have don't know much about what they're up to. It's like trying to find a needle in a haystack.”

“Most of their work is done in secret. It took someone on the inside feeding you information to take them down the first time. I'm sure Trent forced them to learn from previous mistakes.”

“Yeah, well, he's going to have to stick their necks out at some point to get to you. They can't keep hiding in the shadows.”

“No, but they can prepare in them, which makes it difficult for us to prepare.”

“Difficult, but not impossible. It's also possible we can draw them out ahead of time, which could give us the upper hand. We make them think they have everything under control, then hit them with something they weren't expecting.”

“It is unlikely they will move ahead with their plans before they are ready.”

“Unless we give them a really good reason to.” After clapping him on the back, Beau rose from the bed. “I've got some work to do tonight. Don't be surprised if I'm not here tomorrow morning. Fjord agreed to escort you to work and spend the day there. I'm not sure when I'll be back, but don't be surprised if it's late tomorrow night.”

“Fjord doesn't need to do that. He should enjoy his Saturday.”

“I'm pretty sure that's exactly what he plans to do.”

“I don't think babysitting me all day qualifies as an enjoyable way to spend time. He'll probably spend most of the day bored out of his mind.”

“It's not babysitting. He's there to help in case anything goes wrong. Right now, you need as many people watching your back as possible. Plus, Fjord looks for any excuse to spend time with you.”

The pillow Caleb threw at Beau's head deflected to the side nearly toppling a lamp in the corner of the room. “He does not need an excuse to spend time with me. We share a room. When I'm not working, most of my time is spent in Fjord's company.”

“And, for some reason, he can't get enough of you. I can't imagine why. All you do is read books, talk about magic and cuddle your cat.”

“I'd look into getting another hobby, but now doesn't seem like the best time to be broadening my horizons.”

“Now would be a great time to take up a new hobby.”

“Learning how to punch people really hard in the face is not a hobby.”

“Not with that attitude.”

“How about I leave the punching to you and stick to my interests?”

“I'd feel more comfortable if you had a way of defending yourself that doesn't rely on magic, but it's your choice.” Beau pulled on her reversible coat, then grabbed her staff. “Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone.”

“How can I when you left Fjord in charge of my safety?”

“The others will be keeping an eye out too, so don't get any crazy ideas.”

“You know me. Always running headfirst into dangerous situations.”

“Try to resist the urge until I get back.”

“That is a lot to ask, but I'll do it for you this one time.”

“Thanks.” While he expected her to leave the room, Beau took a detour to press a quick kiss to his forehead. “Get out of here before Jester gets back or you'll have to put up with a million questions. See you tomorrow.”

“Be careful, Beauregard.”

“You too.”

* * *

Once the lock clicked shut behind him, Caleb trudged over to the empty armchair next to the one Fjord occupied. His movement drew Fjord's attention away from the open book in his lap to focus completely on Caleb. Before Caleb could suggest he go back to his reading, Fjord closed and set the book on the small side table between them.

“Done for the day?”

“Ja, all closed up. We can leave whenever you would like.”

“I, uh, thought this might be a good opportunity to talk without risk of anyone being nosy and overhearing.”

After settling back in the chair with a pillow tucked securely between his thighs and chest, Caleb spoke. “What did you want to talk about?”

“How are you feeling? I know yesterday was really jarring for you. I'm happy to listen if you want to talk about it.”

“It was... jarring is one word for it. After I ended up with Beauregard at the Cobalt Soul, I worked to put my past behind me. I knew it was a possibility that it could come back to haunt me, but that doesn't make it any easier.”

“It can't be easy to have them hanging over your head all the time. I don't think I'd be handling this nearly as well as you are.”

“Oh, I don't know about that. I think I've been handling things pretty poorly. Yesterday is a perfect example of how poorly I'm doing.”

“Based on Beau's reaction, I got the feeling whoever that woman was she meant a lot to you in the past. It's understandable that her sudden appearance would be difficult to handle.”

“She was...” Caleb faulted for a moment, then let out a heavy sigh. “Are you sure you want to get into that particular can of worms? It is a bit of story.”

“As long as you're comfortable telling me, I'm willing to listen.”

While he could feel the familiar rise in anxiety at the prospect of discussing his past, he pushed it down as best his could. The steady comfort of Fjord's solid presence at his side helped some, but the distance felt too great. Before he could overthink it, Caleb reached out a hand that Fjord quickly latched onto and gave a light squeeze.

“I grew up in a small town called Blumenthal near Rexxentrum. My family were on the poorer side. We barely had enough to live, but my parents found a way to get me new books. I was always a curious child. When some representatives from the Soltryce Academy visited, it was like something out of a fairytale. They offered me a spot in the school on a scholarship. My parents didn't have to pay for anything, and I got to train to be a wizard at the best academy in the Empire.”

“Sounds like a dream come true.”

“It was, and I wasn't the only one. Two others in my town were offered the same: Eodwulf and Astrid. Eodwulf was the first one to show his face after we got here. Astrid was the woman from yesterday.”

“You were close to them.”

“We did everything together. Three kids from the shitty town outside Rexxentrum trying to fit in at a fancy wizard school. It would've been hard not to find us together. Class, studying, exploring the city. We did it all together, so it made sense that when Trent Ikithon noticed one of us, he noticed all of us.”

“Trent Ikithon?”

After taking several calming breaths, Caleb continued speaking. “Ja, he was one of our teachers and a high-ranking member in the Academy. He offered to give us personalized training because we were excelling ahead of our peers. For a few days a week, he would take us to his private home outside the city to give us private training. We were learning spells well beyond what we would've been at that age. The first few weeks were amazing. It felt like I was really finding my own, then the experiments started.”

“You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to.” A squeeze accompanied Fjord's words that settled the wave of nausea that hit with his memories of Trent. “There's no rush.”

“He told us it would help us become more powerful. We would be able to draw more energy from the crystals and accomplished greater things. He spun a version of the future where we would be able to make things better for everyone in the Empire. At the time, I wanted that. It wasn't until later I realized he'd been using magic and promises to manipulate us. I think he knew I was the most uncertain of us, so he found a way to solidify my allegiance.”

“What did he do?”

“He took my family away from me and made me believe it was enemies of the Empire that did it. I can still hear the screams of my mother and father as they burned alive in our home. I remember the rain and the fire and the guilt. I should've been with them, but Astrid invited me to have dinner with her family. I still wonder if she knew what Trent had planned.”

“I'm so sorry, Caleb.”

“It was many years ago but thank you. There deaths are what I regret the most. They died because of me.”

“That's not true.”

Caleb wiped at the tear that slid down his cheek, then sniffled. “It is. Trent only went after them because of me. If I would've been smarter, they'd still be alive.”

“He manipulated you and experimented on you. None of that is your fault. You were right to be uncertain of his offers.”

“Maybe so, but that doesn't stop the guilt. After their deaths, I threw myself into whatever work Trent gave me. I became one of his Volstrucker. One of the best. Eodwulf, Astrid and I were his best and brightest. He made sure to tell us that whenever he got the chance. We were the closest to him. He treated us like his own children.”

“What changed?”

“Someone cleared my head. Trent sent me out on a job, and I came across a woman that cleared the fog from my mind. All the magic he used to manipulate me was gone. I had a clear head for the first time in years, but I knew I couldn't run. For a while, I played the role and found a way to feed information to the Cobalt Soul. When they made their move, I didn't put up a fight.”

“That's when you met Beau.”

“She was meant to interrogate me, then I was put under her watch after they identified me as their informant. The rest is, uh, history.”

“So,” Fjord's head tipped to the side in thought. “Eodwulf and Astrid are here because you betrayed them.”

“A little bit. The Cobalt Soul captured Trent in their raid, but they did not get all his followers. They continued his work without him and now, they're continuing his work with him. In order to complete the ritual, they need me. If they didn't, I'm sure Eodwulf would have killed me when he had the chance.”

“And Astrid?”

“I do not know. Our relationship was different. At one point, I thought she was the love of my life, but things changed after my mind was cleared. Like I said, I wasn't sure whether she played a part in my parent's murder and I couldn't ask. We drifted apart. I... I think she may have known, but she didn't say anything to Trent. I'm grateful for that. If she had, I probably would have been strapped to a chair, until I was loyal to him again.”

“But she still follows him?”

“Ja.”

Silence fell between them for a few long minutes that sent Caleb's heart rate skyrocketing as he waited for Fjord to say something. When Fjord moved to stand in front of his chair, Caleb's breath caught in his throat and his heart pounded faster. Fjord used the hand he held to encourage Caleb to stand, then pulled him into an unexpected hug. His arms felt so solid and warm around Caleb's waist and shoulders that he couldn't resist leaning into Fjord.

“My first job after I got out of the orphanage was on a small fishing boat. I loved it. Loved the ocean and getting to spend all my time on the water. When a man offered me a position on his boat, I didn't even stop to think about it. He took me under his wing. I spent years with him. He was like a father to me, but I'm not sure he thought of me as more than another sailor on his ship.”

A heavy exhale blew across the top of his head as he pulled back from being tucked under Fjord's chin to meet his eyes. “What happened?”

“Sabien, he joined the crew a little before I did, blew up the ship. It was the middle of the night and I still don't remember much. I remember heat and getting thrown overboard and drowning. It's all bits and pieces, but I woke up on a beach with a sword and a name Uk'otoa. After a bit of wandering, I ended up in Nicodranas and started to settle, then the dreams started.”

“Dreams?”

“A giant eye that talked to me. It said things like consume and reward. I didn't know what it meant, but it scared me. If I didn't have Jester, Molly, Yasha and Caduceus, I'm not sure what I would've done. They ended up helping me.”

“That's how you ended up following Melora.”

“There are days I'm still not sure why she decided I was worthy of her aid, but I try my best to be worthy of it. It's the least I could do when she saved me from something I still don't completely understand.”

“You're a good man, Fjord.”

“I try, but...” The distant look in his eyes took a few moments to clear away, then his lips flicked up in a soft smile. “Thank you for trusting me enough to tell me about your past.”

“You have been nothing but kind to me since we first met. I should be thanking you for your patience and kindness.”

“That's what friends do.”

“Well, then you must be a very good friend.”

“I'm glad you think so.”

“How could I not?” Caleb did his best to convey his gratitude for Fjord's friendship in a smile, but most likely fell short. “I hope I can one day be as good a friend to you as you have for me.”

“You already are.”

“It does not feel like it. Thank you though for your belief in me and your trust. Talking about the things in our past that hurt us is always difficult and you did not need to share.”

“It wasn't about whether I needed to share. I wanted to. You shared a part of you, and I wanted to as well. Getting to know you better is important to me and I don't want that to be something that's one sided.”

“I want to get to know you better, too.”

Fjord's eyes softened as he pulled Caleb close for another hug, then took a step back. “We should head back to the Chateau. The others are going to worry if we don't leave soon.”

“Right. That would probably be for the best.”

“Caleb?”

“It's... I'm fine.”

“Are you sure?”

“Ja, it's nothing important.”

“I don't believe that for a second.” Instead of pushing, Fjord pulled his keys out of his pocket and held open the back door of the shop for Caleb. “When you're ready to talk about it, I'll be here to listen.”

* * *

Dark brown hair blew gently in the light summer breeze, but the woman paid it no mind as her eyes remained focused on the book in her lap. She twisted her short hair around her fingers while her other hand absentmindedly flicked a pen back and forth. The sound of children playing and people chattering as the wandered the busy streets below didn't distract her from the book in the slightest.

As quietly as possible, Caleb sat close enough he reach out and barely brush her with the tips of his fingers. With no book of his own, his gaze wandered over the crowd of people below them simply going about their day. A child weaving between the sea of legs followed by another chasing after her caught his attention. Even from a distance, their playful laughter sounded over the general noise of the others on the street. He couldn't help the small smile that began to form at the sight.

“What are you hoping to find down there?”

Caleb turned to find brown eyes watching him with vague disinterest. “Nothing in particular. Why do you ask?”

“You won't find it.”

“Find what?”

“What you've been looking for. You won't find it down them. I'm not sure you'll ever find it.”

“I'm not looking for anything.”

“You're a liar.” Her tone came out flat and her eyes returned to the book. “You've been lying for a very long time. Do you even know who you are anymore?”

“Where is this coming from?”

“We both know this has been coming for a while. Your mind has been elsewhere, and your heart is not in your actions. One foot is in the door and one is out. If you're not careful, others will begin to notice.”

“There is no door. When I decided to walk this path, I knew that would be the case.”

“Things in life are rarely so black and white. Just because it would be difficult to walk away from this doesn't mean it is impossible.”

His fingers pulled nervously at the scarf around his neck as nervous energy bubbled in his gut. “Why are you bringing this up? This is what you want. This is what Eodwulf wants. There is nowhere else for me to go or anyone for me to go to.”

“This has never been you. Did you think we did not know your heart isn't in this? You've been nothing but a shell of a person for a very long time. I'm surprised you haven't considered leaving all of this behind you sooner. You might love Rexxentrum and the people here, but this life is not for you.”

“So, I should abandon everything I know on a chance of finding somewhere I don't feel alone and like a terrible person? It's a very big world. The likelihood of that happening is very low.”

“The only thing that's ever held you back is you. There are plenty of obstacles in your way and things are rarely easy, but, at the end of the day, you are your greatest enemy.”

“Until Trent decides to track me down and kill me for abandoning this. He won't ever let me. He did everything in his power to make me stay.”

“Trent will always rule your life if you don't make the decision to stop letting him use you. There are way out of this. He'll be your enemy, but you'll get to be yourself again.”

“I don't even know who that is anymore.”

“If you never leave, you'll never find out.” Astrid closed the book with a little hum, then took a moment to scan the city before her. “This was a nice night for you. One of the last ones we spent together before you made your decision, and everything unraveled.”

“I wish we could have had this conversation. We rarely found the time to have these moments alone.”

“Would you have made the same decision if we did?”

“I... don't know. What we had was good for a while, but we wanted different things. I don't even know if I could have had this conversation with you. Your loyalty to Trent always came before your loyalty to me. I'm not sure you would have helped me. The ends justified the means and that was that. Anyone that jeopardized that was an enemy.”

“Do you regret it now that your past is back to haunt you? All of your new friends are in danger because of you. Was it worth it?”

“Is it selfish of me to want their company too much to regret it?”

“Do you feel selfish?”

An answer hesitated on the tip of his tongue for a long moment, until the words finally tumbled out. “There are times when I feel like I am taking advantage of their kindness. Jester and her mother welcomed us into their home without question and insisted we stay even when they knew the danger. Nott keeps offering to take over the shop for me when she has a family of her own to think of. Fjord's company has been invaluable. He is always there to lend an ear or provide a distraction to take my mind off it. And Beauregard... When I lost my family, I didn't think I'd ever get that back.”

“Even with us?”

“No. We were never much of a family.” A little smile appeared on his face as he looked down at the two kids from earlier leaning against each other with wide grins. “I remember wanting a sister or brother when I was younger. Someone I could spend time and share interest with. Beauregard is nothing like I imagined, but I don't know what I'd do without her now. Maybe it is selfish to want them to stay by side through this. It's still their choice.”

“It sounds like you got what you always wanted.”

“I don't want to lose them.”

“Then keep them close.”

“How can I do that when they are putting themselves on the line for me?”

A shadow fell across him as Astrid rose from her place next to him. “You have always been a smart one, Caleb. You will figure something out. You do not have any other option.”

* * *

A sharp knock on their bedroom door pulled Caleb's attention from the spell he'd been in the middle of transcribing. He turned to watch Fjord answer the door with his body taking up as much space as possible to prevent anyone seeing in the room. The familiar sound of Beau's demanding voice had Fjord immediately moving out of the way to let her in the room. In one hand she held a bottle of wine, the other held two wine glasses that she brandished at Caleb.

“Put whatever you're working on away. We're going up to the roof, so bring a jacket or blanket or something with you. It's chilly.”

“You could ask.”

“Hurry up. I'm not waiting all night.”

After giving him a stern look, Beau exited the room with one last shake of the two glasses and wine bottle in his direction. With a roll of his eyes, Caleb took his time putting away his supplies in their proper drawers. Once he wasted enough time forcing Beau to wait, he headed for the wardrobe to grab something warmer. He paused when Fjord intercepted him with something deep purple clutched in his hands.

When Fjord gently pushed at him, his finger instinctively wrapped around the material and let it unfurl. He held it up to find a cozy looking cardigan with silver designs hanging in front of him. While the cardigan felt light in his hands, the material was surprisingly warm and soft against the bare skin of his arms when he pulled it on. As he tugged it more securely around his body, his eyes flicked up to catch the bright smile lighting Fjord's face.

“Thank you, Fjord.”

“Jester pointed it out while we were out earlier, and it seemed like something you would like. I thought it might be able to bring you some comfort.”

“That's very thoughtful of you. It's beautiful and warm.”

After a moment of hesitation, Caleb cut the space between them to wrap his arms around Fjord's waist for a hug. Fjord immediately responded in kind and dropped his chin to rest on top of Caleb's head. While he would have been content to enjoy the easy silence and warmth, the knowledge that Beau would be left waiting finally drew Caleb away.

“I should not keep Beau waiting. She'll get upset if I leave her too long.”

“Maybe," Fjord went to retrieve a blanket from one of the armchairs that he handed over to Caleb. “take this with you too. Just in case one of you needs it.”

“I can do that. I'll see you later, Fjord.”

“Don't let Beau push you off the roof.”

“If Beau decided to push me off the roof, I don't think there would be anything I could do about it.”

With a low chuckle, Fjord held the door to their room open for Caleb, then shut it behind them. While Fjord headed down the stairs to the main part of the Lavish Chateau, Caleb went the opposite way to the hidden set of stairs that would take him to the roof. When he opened the door to the roof, low music reached his ears from a phone sitting on a table between two beach patio chairs. At the sound of his approach, Beau put away her journal and motioned for him to take the empty seat.

Before dropping into his chair, he tossed the blanket into her lap since she didn't appear to have anything with her to keep her bare arms warm. She tossed it over the back of the chair without a second thought, so she could grab the open bottle of wine and a glass. Once they both had glasses, they settled back in their chairs to enjoy the city stretched out before them. The height of the Lavish Chateau meant they could see all the way to the docked boats and the ocean beyond them.

It wasn't until they were nearly finished with their first glass that Beau spoke once more. “You look cozy. Where did you get that from?”

“Fjord. He thought I would like it.”

“He knows you pretty well.”

“I told him.” Caleb placed his glass down on the table between them, so he wouldn't accidentally drop it. “He knows about Trent and Astrid and Eodwulf. He just wanted to know how I was feeling, but I ended up telling him a lot. Sorry.”

“What are you apologizing for?”

“I know I'm not supposed to be sharing that information with people.”

“It's a little late for that. The purpose of that was to keep them from finding you, but that's already happened. Whether you want to tell Fjord about your past or not, is completely up to you. We both trust that he's not working for them and we trust him, so there's no harm in it.”

“You really don't mind?”

After finishing her glass, Beau gave him a look that clearly showed how ridiculous she thought his question was. “It's your decision who you trust your past to. I'm not going to judge you for it. Was he... fine with it?”

“He was Fjord about it. Whenever it was difficult to talk about, he offered me an out and tried to comfort me. It was easier than I expected it to be. He also opened up about his own past.”

“That's good.”

“Ja, it was.” He stared off into the distance to collect his thoughts, then leaned over to refill their glasses. “What about you? Anything interesting happening with you?”

“Not really. I've been trying to get more information, but no one at the Cobalt Soul has any idea what's happening. They're all running around with their heads up their asses.”

“You need a break.”

“I'll take a break when I don't have to worry about someone dragging you off to complete some fucked-up ritual that will give them power.”

“You should drop everything in your life to protect me from my own mistakes.”

“Well, whether you like it or not, I'm going to do just that. Not only is it my job right now, but I give a shit about you. I'm not just going to let something happen to you when I can stop it.”

“I still think you should take a day off to unwind and not think about it. It will do you some good. Ask Jester to take you around town or something. That should take your mind off things.”

With a huff, Beau tugged the blanket around her shoulders, then crossed her arms over her chest. “It'll be easier to take my mind off it when it's over.”

“Just... take care of yourself.”

“I am. You don't need to worry about me.”

“Do you really expect that to stop me from worrying?”

“Not really, but I could hope. You've got enough to worry about as it is. It's good that you've been able to talk to Fjord about it. This is the first time we've gotten to sit down and enjoy a night together in a while.”

“I missed this.”

“Me too.”

While they enjoyed their wine and the ambient music playing, Caleb watched a ship with glints of fire light signaling a departure or arrival. It began to move out of docks when an eruption of flame burst from ship. Several vessels along the docks followed that one bathing the docks and ocean in an orange glow. The unexpected sight was just beginning to sink in when a loud bang filled the air as a huge explosion flared into the sky at the center of the flaming docks.

As he rose to his feet, Beau shoved the blanket it his hands and quickly pushed him over to the door leading back into the Lavish Chateau. Despite a few weak protests, she didn't stop until they ran into Fjord outside their shared bedroom. Fjord held the door open for them as they quickly entered, then closed it behind them and took several large steps into the room. While their view wasn't as good as the roof, they could all see the fire blazing at the docks when Fjord pulled open the curtains. 

“What the fuck happened?”

“No idea, but I'm going to take Yasha and Molly to go check it out. It's entirely possible they did this as a distraction or to send a message.” Beau's eyes flicked from Fjord to Caleb for a brief second. “Get Jester and stay here with Caleb. Whatever you do, don't let Caleb out of your sight. If this is a distraction, they'll come for him while we're checking out the docks. Caleb cannot be alone, even in the Chateau. Try to find a room without a window and bunk there for the night.”

“Beauregard,” Before she could take more than a few steps, he grabbed her wrist in a light grip she could have easily shaken off. “please be careful. A move like this means they won't hesitate if they get a good opening on you.”

“I'll have Molly and Yasha to watch my back. Call me if something goes wrong here and I'll do the same. Deal?”

“Deal.”

“Stay safe. We'll be back as soon as we can.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos always greatly appreciated. You can find me on Tumblr ([SociallyAwkwardFoxWriter](http://sociallyawkwardfoxwriter.tumblr.com/)) or Twitter ([@AwkFoxy](https://twitter.com/AwkFoxy)).


	9. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Depending on what makes it into the next chapter, I think we're about 2-3 chapters away from the end of this story! I hope you guys have enjoyed and continue to enjoy.

Despite his best attempts, Caleb didn't manage to get more than a couple hours’ worth of sleep between the time Beau left and when she returned late into the afternoon. Even Fjord and Jester's best attempts at distracting him, did little to pull his mind away from all the possibilities running through his head. The entire time his phone remained desperately clutched in his hands as he waited for some news from Beau. As tempting as it was to check on her, all his words of worry stayed trapped in his head rather than bother her with them.

When she finally returned to the Lavish Chateau with Yasha and Molly, he immediately pulled her into a tight hug that she quickly returned. Although she smelled of smoke, Caleb didn't see a scratch on her, which let a very small part of him feel relief. After giving him a thorough once over, she released him from her hold, then motioned over her shoulder with a small tilt of her head. The familiar sight of Dairon shouldn't have surprised him as much as it did, but he didn't let that stop him from immediately nodding in understanding.

On the ascent up the stairs, his hand reached out to grip Beau's in a tight hold that remained even when they reached their destination. A tense silence filled the room as they waited for everyone to arrive. It was as if everyone feared that breaking it would make all their fears become a reality. The only thing that stopped the panic from completely setting in was the lifeline Beau kept between them.

Once the last of their group entered, all eyes went to Dairon as they stepped into the center of attention. As always, they presented a calm and formal presence that wasn't at all bothered by the eyes on them. Before they even spoke, Caleb felt Beau tense next to him and her hand marginally tightened around his.

“I am sure you are all aware of the attacks that took place on the docks late yesterday evening. We have confirmed that those behind the attacks are the same looking to get their hands on Mr. Widogast. It appears to be a display of power and a warning for us to stay out of our way. This should be confirmed by the individual we now have in our custody.”

A frustrated exhale from Beau preceded her demanding question. “Who?”

“None of the ones that have already shown their faces to us. No eyewitnesses saw anyone fitting their or Trent's description, but there are plenty of reasons that might be the case. Disguises, magical or otherwise, could be involved or they had no direct part in the attack last night to completely negate the potential of getting caught.”

“Do you expect this one you caught to have any information?”

“Yes. They will have something, but the importance of what they know is up for debate. Trent is notoriously for withholding information from people. However, their knowledge of the plan for the attack could prove useful.”

“In what way? To confirm what we already know?”

“Confirmation is better than guesses. It might also give us an idea of whether they have any other attacks planned.”

“Those plans could be completely out the window because we caught one or they could be a plant to throw us off their trail.”

“I am aware of that.” Dairon clasped their hands behind their back as they leveled a neutral expression at Beau. “I know this is personal for you but remember to keep a level head. You will help no one by letting your emotions completely take control of your judgement.”

“My emotions are completely under control. I have done everything in my power to determine the best course of action, but there is only so much I can do from here.”

“The only reason we caught Trent the first time was because we had someone on the inside feeding us information. He is very good at keeping his cards close to his chest and knows how to mask his trail. We have tasked as many as we can to track their whereabouts, but he is aware that we are doing so. This is not as simple as you want to believe.”

“I didn't say it would be simple, but we are running out of time. They're able to pull stunts like last night because they know we're not anywhere closer to finding them than we were when we started.”

“We are closer than they would like.”

“Sure.”

With a heavy sigh, Dairon rubbed at their temples in annoyance, then dropped their hand to their side. “I will reach out once we have information from the captured one. Continue what you have been doing. Trust no one.”

“I never do.”

“Good. I'll see myself out.”

The instant the door shut behind Dairon; Beau's mouth pulled into a scowl that was only strengthened by the deep bags under her eyes. After taking several calming breaths, she turned to Caleb and pressed her lips into a thin line that meant she was holding something back. While he knew it wouldn't do much to help, Caleb gave her hand the most comforting squeeze he could manage.

“You should get some rest. You have been up all night.”

Beau let her shoulders fall and tiredly nodded her head in agreement. “You're right. Stay here today.”

“I will.”

“Good. I'll probably sleep through dinner, so I'll see you tomorrow.”

“Good night, Beauregard.”

With a wave of her hand, Beau exited the room followed closely by Yasha and Molly, who both looked equally exhausted. Eventually, the others trickled out of the room, until Caleb was left with only Fjord for company. His own lack of sleep finally hit him hard enough that he barely managed to stay on his feet long enough to take a seat on one of the plush couches. The other joined him with concern clearly shining in his eyes.

“How are you feeling about that conversation?”

“I think Beauregard is right. They aren't any closer to finding them than when they started their search for them.” His fingers scratched nervously at the scars on his arms as the full weight of everything felt heavier than ever. “It is unlikely they will be able to find them before they come seeking me, but I won't let them do it. Whatever it takes, I won't let it happen.”

“We won't let them take you.”

“I am not sure they will give you much of a choice in the matter.”

“It doesn't matter if they want to give us a choice. We won't let it happen. There aren't any other options.”

“I don't want any of you getting hurt because of me.”

A hand gently cupped his jaw to coax his head to turn, so he looked directly into Fjord's eyes. “Let me remain you once again, that we care about you, Caleb. I know that you don't want any of us getting hurt, but we feel the same way about you. We're going to keep doing whatever we can to keep you safe and out of their hands. Okay?”

“Okay.”

“Good. Now, you should take your own advice and get some sleep. You barely got any last night.”

“I might need a little help to our room.”

“Of course. Here.”

Fjord held out his hands to help Caleb off the couch, then wrapped an arm around his waist to keep them steady. His eyes struggled to stay open on the short walk to their room and he barely managed to keep his feet moving. When they finally reached Caleb's bed, Fjord carefully lowered him to the mattress. As soon as his head hit the pillow, the last of his resolve left his body and he fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

The ring of the bell over the door just before closing drew Caleb's attention away from his shelving. Before he could extend his usual customer greeting, the sight of Fjord leaning casually against the door stopped him in his tracks. He immediately placed the box of books down, then motioned for Fjord to lock the door behind him. A quick glance at the office had him locking eyes with Nott for a split second as she exited the room. After sparing a brief look Fjord's way, she fixed her bag more securely over her shoulder, then headed for the back exit with a wave.

Once the door shut behind her, all Caleb's attention went to the man standing uncertainly just inside the doorway. With his hands clasped behind his back and a slight rock, Fjord looked more like a nervous schoolboy than his normal confident self. The uncertainty immediately sparked Caleb's curiosity, but nothing else about Fjord gave away the reason. Even stopping a few steps away with his arms crossed over his chest, did nothing to break the careful Fjord wore to conceal it.

“I did not realize you would be dropping by today. What do I owe the pleasure?”

“What? I can't just drop by to see you?”

“We are currently living together. You do not need to drop by here to see me. Beauregard is supposed to be picking me up, unless something came up and she sent you to do it for her.”

“Nothing came up, but I offered to... help you relieve some stress.”

“Jester would have a joke to make about that.”

“That's not what I meant.” With a roll of his eyes, Fjord cut the distance between them. “Are you ready to leave or do you need some more time to finish up here?”

“I should finish putting those up, but...”

“It can wait?”

“Let me get my cardigan.”

Instead of walking behind the counter, he stretched across it to grab it off the back of the chair and tugged it on. He pulled his hair up so it wouldn't end up in his face as soon as the wind hit, then double checked his pocket for his wallet and keys. After quickly locking up the back exit, he turned back to Fjord to see him already holding open the door for him.

“Thank you.”

“It's my pleasure.” His keys were playfully snatched out of his hand by Fjord, so he could lock up for Caleb. “There we go. Now, we're free for the evening.”

“Free to do what exactly?”

“To start, dinner.”

“And after that?”

“That...” Fjord held open the passenger side door for Caleb with a small smile. “is a secret. I'm ninety percent sure you'll enjoy it.”

“Only ninety?”

“Well, I don't want to set the bar too high. I would hate to disappoint you.”

“I doubt you will.”

“Thank you for the confidence.”

As Caleb took the offered passenger's seat, he pulled out his phone to find a series of texts from Beau. They progressively grew longer in their instance that he be careful and have, until the very last message simply said they'd talk about it later. While Fjord started to their destination, he assured her they would be careful and to mind her own business. Her quick responses to him kept him distracted all the way to brightly lit building Fjord parked in front of.

While the parking lot wasn't packed, there were enough cars he knew the place would be busy. As soon as he stepped out of the car, upbeat music met his ear that reminded him of the few sea shanties he heard. The exterior building had The Mist in neon letters and a variety of sailing related paraphernalia decorating it. It wasn't until Fjord held the door open that the smell of fish and fried food hit his nose. His stomach immediately grumbled at the prospect of food.

“What do you think?”

“Is this a sailor spot?”

A low laugh rumbled out of Fjord as he waved at a few of the employees on their way to a table. “That obvious?”

“Only a little. The, uh, everything may have given it away.”

“Whenever we would dock here, I would always be sure to stop in at least once. The food is amazing, and it always helped the transition of coming back on land.”

“Do you come here often?”

“I try to at least stop in once a week, but sometimes things get too busy for me to manage it.”

“You just stop in?”

“Well, I made a habit of coming in alone while we were docked, and the owner took notice. He introduced himself to be, then we got to talking and became friends. It's possible that he'll decide to stop by for a chat if he's working tonight.” With a smile, Fjord put in an order for two waters and a couple dishes. “I hope you trust my judgement on food. Everything here is good, but those are the best.”

“You haven't steered me wrong so far. I'd like to think that you wouldn't ruin that now.”

“You can always order something else if none of them are to your taste. It's all on me tonight.”

“That's very kind of you, Fjord. Everything you have done tonight is very kind.”

“Well, it's certainly all worth it to see you smiling. You haven't been doing much of that recently, not that I would expect you to.”

“Things are... a lot right now. There are times I wish I could just forget about it-at least for a little while. It can be hard to breath sometimes because it all feels like too much and I don't know what to do about it, but this is... This is nice.”

“This isn't a weight you have to carry on your own. That goes for Beau, too. I know there's a lot of trust and understanding built there that you don't have with the rest of us. Trust doesn't come easy. Just know we are here for you to help carry this weight because we care about you. Whatever way we can help, even if it's just this, let us know and we will do it.”

“Is that really all tonight is about?”

Fjord tapped his finger thoughtfully against the side of his glass and his eyes flicked down at the table for a moment. “That's all it has to be about, but I would be lying if I said I wasn't hoping this would at least give a chance of something more... romantic in the future. I don't want to add something else to your plate. I just want to make my intentions clear, and I understand if you're not in a place to even consider something like this. Nothing will change if you don't want it to. I want to be honest with you, so there it is.”

“It feels like I have put a lot of my life on hold because of a past I was working so hard to move on from. When Beau told me, they were transferring her to Nicodranas, that was the first time I had hope that I could actually move past everything. This place is so completely different from where I spent most of my life, so it was like getting the chance to start completely fresh. I still love the Empire and I miss it, but it's freeing here. I wanted to build something new and good here, then we met all of you an-and it made that seem possible. I have never had friends quite like any of you before. It feels like having a family again.”

“You are family. You and Beau and everyone else are all family.”

“It is good to know the feeling is mutual.” The arrival of their food gave Caleb the perfect excuse to take a moment to recollect his thoughts. “I would like to explore the possibility of something romantic between us. I have been attracted to you for quite a while and I have enjoyed getting to know you better. Whether now is the best time or not, a large part of me is tired of waiting for everything else to go away. It's not ideal, but we can make it work.”

“We are very good at that. So, it's a date.”

“Ja, it's a date.”

* * *

“This was amazing, Fjord. Thank you.”

After taking back his card with a bright smile, it softened as he turned his attention back to Caleb. “The night's not over yet. Think you can stay out a little longer?”

“That depends on whether Beau will allow me to stay out past my bedtime. I am already pushing it as it is.”

“Very funny. What do you say to a little walk on the beach? There's a spot I like to go to when I feel stressed. I thought it might help.”

“How can I say no to that? As long as we don't stay out too late, Beau won't send the calvary to find us.”

“An hour max. Promise.”

As Caleb opened his mouth to agree, a large shadow fell across the table that had him immediately straightening. While he wasn't entirely sure who he expected to see, a tortle with an eye patch and three bagpipes coming out of his shell didn't factor in as a possibility. The tortle gave a bright smile as he brought a large hand down to clap on Fjord's back.

“I hope you weren't p-p-planning on leaving without saying hello.”

“Orly, I would never. It's good to see you. How have you been?”

“Busy. With the explosion, there's been more traffic.”

“I'm sure people are looking for a place to feel at home while their ships are being fixed. I know that's why I always came.” Fjord gave Orly a friendly pat on the arm, then motioned to Caleb. “Apologies for introducing you two sooner. Orly, this is Caleb. Caleb, this is Orly.”

“It's a pleasure to m-m-meet you. Fjord has only had good things to say about you.”

A blush darkened Fjord's cheeks as he loudly cleared his throat before Caleb could say anything. “Well, I'm glad the two of you have met, but we really should be going. I need to get Cinderella home before midnight and there's something else we need to do. It's great to see you again, Orly. Next time I come; we'll catch up.”

Orly stepped back to give Fjord the space he needed to exit the booth with a knowing hum and hint of amusement in his eyes. The amusement only grew when Fjord hurried to offer a hand of help before Caleb could get all the way out. While he didn't need it, Caleb accepted the help up and to put his cardigan back on. Before linking his arm through Fjord's, Caleb waved at Orly that was returned with a kind smile.

As soon as the front door of the restaurant closed behind them, he leaned further into Fjord's side and tipped his head back to look up at him. Even in the low light, the faint blush still staining his cheeks stood out against his skin. When Fjord noticed him looking, it picked back up in intensity, but he didn't abruptly look away like Caleb expected him to. Instead, he dipped down to press a light kiss against Caleb's forehead that had his own face heating up.

As he pulled away, Fjord started leading them across the parking lot. “It's just a short walk from here.”

“I'll follow your lead.”

Despite expecting Fjord to head straight for the beach, their path took them along a sidewalk that wrapped around to head back into the city. At the bend, Fjord kept going straight across the sand, until they hit a large cliff that jutted over the ocean. When they reached a narrow passage in the rock, Fjord linked their fingers together, so they stayed connected on the squeeze through. The moment they popped out on the other side Caleb felt all his air leave his lungs at the sight.

In the moonlight, the rock surrounding the little alcove seemed to give off a rainbow gleam and sparkle. Shells and other trinkets from the sea covered the damp sand that they took gentle steps through on their way to the shoreline. The intimacy of this private space that appeared relatively untouched by others felt even more so when Fjord turned his eyes from the ocean to him.

“Worth the walk?”

“It's beautiful. How did you find this place?”

With a heavy sigh, Fjord wrapped his arms around Caleb's waist and took a step closer making the world feel even smaller in this private moment. “When I was having a hard time, I would walk the beach late at night to take my mind off it. I wanted to be alone, so I always found myself in the areas where I wouldn't run into late night beachgoers. It was just luck that I found this spot.”

“Thank you for bringing me here. I can see why you enjoy coming. It's very relaxing.”

“It's a nice place to come and collect your thoughts or just enjoy the view.”

“Which are we here to do?"

“Well, I don't know about you, but I'm enjoying the view.” A hand moved up to cradle Caleb's face, so there was no questioning what Fjord meant. “Please, stop me if you don't want this.”

As his lips hovered so close Caleb could almost feel the brush of them against his own, he reached up a hand to cling to Fjord's wrist and tipped his head slightly to the side. They stayed on the precipice so long Caleb worried Fjord would decide to pull away instead of pressing forward. When their lips finally met, all thoughts narrowed to the feel of Fjord surrounding him and drawing him closer. The slid of Fjord's hand along his cheek to bury in his hair took all the air from his lungs. He pushed onto the tips of his toes to bring them closer together and tightened his hold on Fjord.

While he didn't want to break the kiss, the burning in his lung forced him to be the first to part their lips. They remained pressed close together as they both took a moment to catch their breath. Caleb let his eyes slid shut and just enjoyed the moment for all it was worth. He released a low hum when Fjord rested their foreheads together and wrapped both his arms around his neck to keep him there.

“I really want to kiss you again, but we should go. It's getting late and we've pushed our luck enough for one night.”

Before Fjord could continue rambling, his hands slipped up to cradle the back of his head as he pressed their lips together for a short kiss. “One more couldn't hurt.”

“That is going to lead us down a rabbit hole that will get both of us in trouble.”

“It wouldn't be the worst thing I've gotten in trouble for, but I don't want to make Beauregard worry. She already worries enough about me as it is.”

“There's nothing that can stop that, but she should be fairly distracted tonight.”

“By what?” The smile that stretch across Fjord's face as he removed Caleb's arms from around his neck and began guiding them out of the alcove grew his curiosity. “What does that smile mean? Why would Beau be distracted right now?”

“I may have mentioned that I planned on taking you out tonight and possibly reveal my feeling for you to Jester. She was really happy for me, so I suggested that she should do the same since Beau has a night off. It would be the perfect opportunity.”

“And she told you she would?”

“She sent me a few pictures. You can look through them on the way back.”

“I would like that very much.”

As a strong breeze blew in from the ocean Fjord draped his arm across Caleb's shoulders and drew him into his warmth. “They look happy. It's nice to see. I don't think I've seen Beau really smile in a while.”

“They have been few and far between, but I look forward to her talking my ear off about this and bugging me about how things went with us. She asks me about us all the time.”

“Really?”

“It shouldn't surprise you that I have been interested in you for quite some time.”

“It's one thing to hope that I wasn't imagining you feeling the same I did, and another to have it confirmed.”

“Ja, it is. Confirmation is much better.” When Fjord bent down to open the passenger's door for him, Caleb took the chance to give him another kiss. “Much better.”

* * *

“So, what happened with Fjord last night?” While she tried to sound uninterested, Caleb could tell Nott was intrigued and digging for information. “I didn't think he was picking you up yesterday. Beau normally picks you up. Did something happen?”

“Fjord took me out to dinner.”

“Is that safe?”

“I am safe with Fjord. We have gone out together before.”

“At night? There was just an explosion on the docks. Maybe, someone should have come with you.”

After placing the last book on the shelf, he sent Nott a raised eyebrow that she chose to ignore by continuing her work with the new signs. “We didn't do anything dangerous. He just took me to dinner, then we had a short walk on the beach after. There wasn't a single moment he left me alone.”

“That sounds more like a date than a friend taking you out to dinner, but you have spent a lot of time inside recently. I can't blame you for wanting to stretch your legs.”

“Well,” Caleb shuffled through the stack of papers sitting on the counter, so he would have an excuse to look down. “it may have been more than just dinner between friends.”

“Did Fjord take you on date?”

“It didn't start out that way, but we got to talking and he admitted he had romantic feelings for me. I told him I felt the same, so we decided to make it a date. It was nice. It didn't feel forced or awkward. We just had dinner at a place Fjord thought I would enjoy, then we took a walk. I didn't want it to end.”

“He treated you right?”

“Of course, he did.”

Eyes narrowed at him as Nott looked for any sign that he might be leaving something out that he didn't want her to know. “I'm glad you had a good night out with Fjord. Just be careful right now. We don't know what those assholes are up to. They were willing to blow up the docks to make a statement. We can't be too on guard.”

“I will be sure to keep that in mind.”

With a satisfied nod, Nott hopped off the counter to greet a customer that enthusiastically waved at her upon entering. He let the sound of their talking and laughter fade into the background as he focused on their finances for the month. As he pushed that away to focus on the next task on his list, a pile of letters landed in front of him. After thanking Nott, Caleb sorted through the junk and bills, until he reached the bottom of the stack.

Unlike the others, this one did not have a postage stamp or the proper information to be sent via mail. The heavy stationary with his name curling across the envelope in dark black ink and a wax seal. The familiar emblem of the Cerberus Assembly stared up at him as his chest contracted in horror. It took every ounce of self-control to keep his hands steady enough to weave a detect magic over the letter.

When he didn't pick up anything coming from the letter, Caleb popped the seal on the back and pulled out the paper instead. His mind immediately supplied him with the writer of the letter as he took in the familiar handwriting. From the firm press of the pen, it was evident Eodwulf wrote it while angry or frustrated. While most of it was reiterating they would be coming for him soon and to come willingly when they did, his heart stopped at the final line.

The threat reaffirmed what Caleb had feared since Eodwulf first showed up at shop all those weeks ago. Trent always stressed the importance of keeping an eye on your enemy at all times because a weakness would present itself. If you knew your enemy better than you knew yourself, there was no way you could underestimate them.

“Caleb?” A small hand gave his shoulder a soft shake to help get his attention. “What happened? Is something wrong?”

“We need to call Beauregard.”

“Is that from them?”

“Ja, and they're keeping a very close eye on me. I think we are running out of time. They will make their move soon.”

“Is that what that letter says?”

“Mostly. There is also a threat.”

Nott's eyes went wide, then she leaned over his shoulder to read the page clutched in his hand. “What threat?”

“When you wear your heart on your sleeve, you make it too easy on us. It's why you're not supposed to kiss and tell.”

“You warned us they would come after us if we decided to help you with this. We're not going to back down now because they put it in a letter. The docks made it clear enough they meant business. This doesn't change anything, Caleb.”

“Right.” While it was shaky, Caleb managed to take a deep breath to help calm the rising anxiety. “We need to tell Beauregard. She will want to know they have contacted me again. This might help them track Eodwulf. If he delivered this to our mailbox, there could be footage of that.”

“I'll call Beau. Just focus on breathing.”

“Okay.”

Once Nott left the room, Caleb stared down at the last line glaring up at him from the letter still in his hands. When tears threatened to fall, he quickly shoved it back in the envelope and into his back pocket. After a few heavy breaths, the temptation to call Fjord won over the worry he would come off as clingy. His foot tapped nervously against the floor as he nervously waited for Fjord to answer.

“Hey, Caleb. Can you give me one second?” Before he had the chance to answer, muffled voices followed by a door opening came over the line. “Sorry about that. Things are a bit noisy today. We have some people in doing repairs.”

“Sorry. I shouldn't have called.”

“It's not a big deal. I can hardly focus on my work anyways with all the noise. What did you need?”

“I... I don't know. Um, I just needed to.”

“You sound worried. Did something happen?”

Caleb squeezed his eyes shut as he pressed his palm against the bridge of his nose and wrapped an arm around his middle. “Please be careful. Please.”

“I will, but is there a particular reason I need to?”

“They know. Eodwulf left a letter for me, a-and they know.”

“As creepy as that is, I can't say I'm surprised. I knew this was a possibility, Caleb. I promise you I will be careful and keep an eye out for anything suspicious. We can talk about this later. Okay?”

“Nott is telling Beau about the letter.”

“That's good. We're going to figure this out, then you'll go on your vacation with Beau and we'll go sailing when the weather gets warmer.”

“We will talk tonight.”

“If Beau lets you away from her long enough to have a conversation, I promise we will have one.”

“She is going to be furious.”

“Yeah, because she cares about you.” A heavy sigh came from Fjord as the sound of loud banging started in the background. “I have to go before they end up making a mess of things. I'll text you when I'm on my way back to the Chateau.”

“Thank you, Fjord.”

“Stay safe, Caleb.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos always greatly appreciated. You can find me on Tumblr ([SociallyAwkwardFoxWriter](http://sociallyawkwardfoxwriter.tumblr.com/)) or Twitter ([@AwkFoxy](https://twitter.com/AwkFoxy)).


	10. Chapter 9

Raised voices filtering through the solid wood door Beau and Dairon sequestered themselves behind the instant they arrived immediately put Caleb on edge. He picked nervously at his scarf for several long minutes before deciding he couldn't continue to listen to them. His sudden movement drew the attention of the two other sets of eyes that had been closely watching the door. While Jester remained seated in her plush armchair, Fjord rose to his feet and held his hands out to Caleb in a silent offer. When Caleb took them in his, a gentle squeeze and a smile meant to reassure him helped calm some of his nervous energy.

“Do you want to go to our room?” As his eyes strayed to the door, gentle fingers turned his head back to look at Fjord. “Beau can handle herself. She wanted to speak to Dairon alone for a reason. If listening to that is making things worse, then we don't need to be here. She'll understand.”

“I do not want to leave her.”

“You won't be leaving her. We'll still be in the Chateau. Jester can let her know as soon as she's done that we went to our room to wait.”

“Just for a little bit.”

“We can come back whenever you're ready.”

“Thank you, Fjord.”

Without another word, Fjord dropped a hand to his lower back to guide him up the stairs to the second floor of the Chateau and down the hall to their room. The clicked of the door shutting behind them allowed him some peace of mind, but he knew better than to think that meant they couldn't watch him. Although he wanted nothing more than to sink into one of the armchairs and read a book, the letter refused to leave his mind. Every time he closed his eyes, he could see the words glaring up at him as a reminder of how much power they still held over him.

“Let's take a seat.”

Instead of going along with the gentle press of Fjord's hand, Caleb turned to face him. “When you wear your heart on your sleeve, you make it too easy on us. It's why you're not supposed to kiss and tell.”

“What?”

“The letter. That is what it said. It threatened everyone, but that was just about you. They are probably watching us right now.”

“Maybe, but they also showed their hand. We know who they'll come after when you refuse to go with them. That makes planning our moves a lot simpler.

“How can you be so calm about this?”

“You need calm right now. Beau can't be here to provide that for you like she normally would, so I'll do what I can.”

“That's not fair to you.”

“None of this is fair.” Fjord gently cupped his face and leaned down to rest their foreheads together. “What they've done to you isn't fair. Dropping in on you to make threats and sending letters. Since the beginning, this hasn't been fair. That's why I want to help. It's why all of us want to help.”

“What happens if you get hurt because of this? We can't predict what they are going to do. It would be so easy for them to get a step ahead of us. They already are.”

“There's a possibility I could get hurt, but that's not going to make me change my mind. If I did, that would mean standing aside and letting them do whatever they want. I can't do that. I'm not going to bend for them.”

“Then they will go through you.”

“That's the point. I'm not going to let them just take what they want without putting up a fight. You are worth saving, Caleb. You are worth the fight.”

With a heavy sigh, Caleb gripped Fjord's wrists in his hands and let his eyes fall shut. “It always comes down to that. Always a fight. I thought when the Cobalt Soul took him in that would be the last of it. No more fighting. At least, I had hoped. Although, a part of me knew this was a possibility. That's why I copied my spellbook over before I burned the other one. Until Trent is gone, I don't know if I will ever be free of this fight. Even then, I might not be.”

“We won't know until he's gone.”

“And you plan to make that happen?”

“If it comes to that, I'm willing to do what's necessary to put an end to him.”

“How? Trent has trained in arcana his entire life. It will not be as simple as cornering him.”

“I'll drive my blade through his throat.” Suddenly, Fjord flicked his hand out to the side that sent a burst of magic erupting through the air as a gleaming sword appeared in his hand. “And if it doesn't work the first time, I'll do it until it does.”

“That is... a lot to process.”

“It's been a while since I've used this, but I've been prepared to.”

“Is that something the Wildmother gave you?”

“Yes. I don't know much about it, but I know how to use it. She gave it to me to protect people.”

“I am just one person.”

“Even if that wasn't enough, you've made it very clear that his intention would hurt more people than just you. They're willing to kill us to get to you. These aren't the kind of people that will just go away once they have what they want. Anyone that gets in their way will be in danger.”

“What if it does not stop with him? Some will scatter, but the ones that are truly loyal to him and believe in amassing power for some brighter future will keep going.”

“A lot of things could happen, but we can't focus on that. The danger now is Trent and whoever comes with him to get you. Thinking about that right now makes fighting back seem pointless and it isn't. There's a very good reason to fight. Trent is the one calling the shots and giving them direction. We need to stop that. That's the first step.”

“The first step was deciding to betray him. The second step was getting in contact with the Cobalt Soul. The third step was getting them all the information they need to go after him. The fourth step was giving them a way to get to him. The fifth step was completely changing who I am, so he couldn't find me if he managed to escape. How many steps is it going to take until all of this is over?”

“I wish I had an answer for you, but I don't. All I can promise is to stand by you through it. Is that enough?”

Caleb looked down at his feet to avoid having to meet Fjord's eyes. "It is more than enough. More than I have a right to ask for.”

“It's a good thing that doesn't matter since you're not asking. I'm offering.”

“We did ask.”

“I don't know what you're talking about.”

“How convenient for you.”

“What do you mean?” After sending off the sword in his hand, Fjord returned it to Caleb's check to tilt his head back up. “I think you've lost track of the conversation. Maybe, we should talk about something else.”

“Is this your way of distracting me?”

“Only if it's working. If it isn't, I can think of something else that might make a good distraction.”

“It is very tempting to say that it isn't. I think I would like the alternative.”

“Well, I did offer. I'd be happy-”

A loud pounding on the door cut off the rest of Fjord's sentence, then Jester's voice sounded through it. When they didn't immediately open the door, the banging started up more enthusiastically than before. By the time Fjord opened the door, there was no doubt in his mind every occupant in the Chateau heard the commotion. As he planned to poke his head out the door to check for anyone eavesdropping, Jester pulled him out of the room.

“Beau stormed out and went up to the roof. I was going to go after her, but I think it would be better if you talked to her. She looked really mad."

“I will go talk to her.”

“Should we make sure Dairon doesn't leave?”

“It is probably for the best.” Caleb tugged on the cardigan Fjord handed him and tucked the blanket he offered under his arm. “At the very least, I would like to speak with them about the options currently available.”

“We'll be the best hosts, so they don't even want to leave! It'll be easy.”

“If anyone can do it, it would be you.”

After pulling him into a tight hug, Jester pushed him in the direction of the stairs leading to the roof. He took his time going up the stair, so Beau would have a few extra moments to cool off from her conversation with Dairon. To give her warning of his arrival, he knocked on the door, then slowly pushed it open and stepped onto the roof. 

Across from him, Beau leaned against the railing looking out toward the port. Her hair swirled around her face from the strong wind blowing in and small shivers ran through her body. Caleb placed the blanket around her bare shoulders, then copied her position against the railing. While Beau continued to fume in silence, Caleb let his eyes roam over the city below. Bright lights twinkled all over the place and the sound of voices from people enjoying a night on the town drifted up to them.

“Thank you for letting me go out with Fjord the other night. It probably led to the situation we now find ourselves in, but I really needed that. For a few hours, I wasn't trapped in my own head worrying about all of this."

“That's not something you should be thanking me for. The Cobalt Soul is supposed to identify and root out corruption. That is our job and, for some reason, we're no closer to finding Trent than we were the last time we talked to Dairon. All we know is what you've told us. That's all.” Beau kicked the railing in frustration. “You've had to act like you're on house arrest when you're not at work because we haven't held up our end.”

“You have also kept me safe.”

“Have I? It seems to me they're just playing with us. They're keeping track of your movements and sending you threatening letters without any of us knowing. If they wanted to sneak you right out from under our noses, I don't know that we could stop them.”

“You have done good, Beauregard. These are not easy people to deal with. They wouldn't feel the need to send a threatening letter if they could just grab me whenever they wanted.”

“Maybe.”

Caleb tugged lightly on the end of her hair and smiled when she tried to swat his hand away. “I was going to ask you to join me up here tonight. There was something I wanted to tell you about over some wine.”

“Well, we're up here. Might as well spill the beans.”

“It's no fun if you are in a bad mood. I will just wait for a better time. I can be patient.”

“You're doing that on purpose.”

“I don't know what you're talking about.”

“You know exactly what I'm talking about.” Before he could dodge out of the way, Beau flicked him on the forehead. “You can't just dangle something like that, then not follow through. Tell me.”

“Fjord took me to The Mist for dinner. The owner was very interesting. Actually, it only started out as dinner. It kind of turned into a date.”

“Kind of?”

“We decided to make it a date, and after we finished dinner, he took me to a nice, private spot on the beach. It was beautiful.”

“And?”

“And what?”

“And you don't go from a dinner to a walk on the beach to just watch the ocean. You do that so you can put the moves on them.”

“Fjord does not need to put the moves on me. We are on the same page regarding our relationship. A conversation was had to make sure we both understood where we want our relationship to go.”

“Is that why you were straight to your room? You knew exactly where your relationship was headed.”

With a roll of his eyes, Caleb gave a weak shove to Beau's shoulder that didn't move her in the slightest. “That is not at all what happened.”

“But something else did happen on your date.”

“There may have been some kissing.”

“How much is some?”

“That is none of your business.”

“Then why did you even bother to bring it up.” Despite her annoyed tone, an arm wrapped around his shoulders as she leaned her head against his. “I'm happy for you. At least something good has come of all this. I bet you're really looking forward to that private boating day now.”

“That was not on my mind, but now that you mention it that is something I am very much looking forward to.”

“Well, we'll have to figure out what we need to do to make that happen.”

“Did Dairon have a solution for that?”

“No. Not one worth considering.”

“What did she suggest?”

“It doesn't matter. We're not doing it.”

Caleb let out a heavy sigh as he slipped out from under Beau's arm to lean against railing. “I do not think that is your decision to make, Beauregard. I know that you want to do what is best for me, but I can still make decisions for myself.”

“You think I don't know that?”

“No. I just think it is worth a reminder that I deserve to know what Dairon brought as an option. I could ask them, but I would rather hear it from you.”

“Fine. Dairon wants to dangle you out like a prize cow for slaughter.”

“They want me to be bait.”

“Yes, they want to draw them all out by putting you in the perfect spot for them to find you and drag you away when we're not prepared for them.”

“It is a good idea.”

“It is not a good idea!” A hand landed on his shoulder to him back, so he would be forced to look Beau in the eye. “They have been one step ahead of us this entire time. If we give them an open opportunity to take you, that's exactly what will happen. We'll never see you again.”

“They have been ahead of us, but this would put them on equal footing. Trent will not have time to come up with an elaborate plan as he has previously. While Trent is not naive, he is egotistical to the point of weakness. This is the best chance we are going to get to exploit that weakness. If he sees the right opportunity, he will take it and we can be prepared for that.”

“That requires us to rely on something that is out of our hands. It's too risky.”

“Believe me, I am not eager to openly invite Trent to take me, but it is going to be the best chance at drawing him out. Getting him out in the open is for the best.”

“None of them is going to like this.”

“I am not asking you, or any of them, to like this plan. I am asking you to trust that I know what will work best against him at this point.”

“You're determined to go through with this?”

He removed the hand from his shoulder, then gently held it in his hand. “I have spent most of my life under Trent's thumb. It wasn't until I met you that I realized what my life could be without him controlling me. The last thing I want to do is lose that. I want to be free again, Beauregard.”

“If you're sure you want to do this, then we'll do it.”

“Thank you.”

“Thank me after we put Trent six-feet under. I guess we should go speak with Dairon. I'm sure they'll be thrilled to hear that you agreed to go with their plan.”

“I do not think Dairon is capable of being thrilled about anything.”

A laugh startled out of Beau as she tugged him to the door that would lead them back into the Chateau. “You're probably right about that. They barely know how to smile.”

“I thought the same thing about you when we first started living together. All you did was frown all the time.”

“Can you blame me? I was responsible for protecting some stranger with a magic cat. You'd be frowning too.”

“I would love to meet another person with a cat. That would be incredible.”

“Maybe, you can convince Fjord to adopt another cat to go along with the five children and white picket fence house.”

“I don't remember agreeing to any of that.”

“Should have read the contract better.”

“When did I sign a contract?”

“Why do you think people kiss? That's how you seal a contract.”

“That's...” The only thing that kept him moving down the corridor towards Jester's voice was the arm Beau had slung across his shoulders. “That would be terrible."

“You've already done it several times. It must not have been that terrible.”

“I was not talking about that part and you know it.”

“Could have fooled me. Ready to deal with them.”

“You will be with me.”

“Of course, man.”

“Then I will be fine.”

As soon as he opened the door to the sitting room, three pairs of eyes immediately snapped to him. Dairon's typically neutral expression had a hint of visible annoyance around the edges that immediately disappeared. Before he got a chance to speak, Jester bounded over to them with a bright smile and pulled them further into the room. Once Jester got them center stage, she took a seat next to Fjord on the plush sofa.

To avoid seeing either of their expressions, Caleb turned his body to completely face Dairon and looked them directly in the eyes. “Beauregard informed me that you provided an option to draw Trent out. I think it is the best that we have.”

“You are willing to do it.”

“Ja.”

“We will have multiple members of the Cobalt Soul prepared to intervene. The festival presents the perfect cover. You will attend with all of your friends there to protect you from Trent. We will stage a separation that will leave you seemingly vulnerable. With how closely they have been following you, they should be quick to take advantage of that.”

“What happens if they turn on the crowd when they realize what is happening? I do not want anyone else at risk because of me.”

“There will be individuals responsible for preventing and containing any magic they might attempt to use. We will also have healer on standby to assist with injuries that might occur.”

“You are confident none of these people are working for Trent.”

“No, but that is why I have contingencies in place to handle anyone that might prove to be disloyal when the time comes.”

“When will we do it?”

“Friday night. It is best that all of you know as little as possible to make your reactions as authentic as possible.”

“I want Beauregard to remain informed on all aspects of the plan.”

After a moment of tense silence, Dairon nodded their head in agreement. "She will remain in the loop. If that's all we have left to discuss. I think it is time I make my exit.”

“Unless the others have something to discuss with you, I have no further questions.”

“We will speak soon, Beau.”

They gave a nod to the other two people in the room, then quickly left the room before anyone else could draw them into a conversation. The door barely shut behind them when a pair of arms wrapped around his waist from behind. Two more sets came around him to form a group hug that he hadn't been expecting. With a heavy sigh, he leaned back and tried to focus on the warmth of those surrounding him.

* * *

“How are you feeling?”

While his hands fiddled with the scarf wrapped around his neck, he tipped his head back to look up at Fjord. “I am trying not to. I do not know if I would be able to go through with it. There is a lot that could go wrong today.”

“We're all going to be there for you. All we have to do is stick to the plan and nothing will go wrong. Easy.”

“What could possibly go wrong?”

“Nothing that I can think of.” Despite his light tone, Fjord gripped his waist a little tighter and rested their foreheads together. “Be careful. I know you're going to be able to defend yourself, but just... I hope you don't need to. I'd like to actually enjoy the festivities with you tomorrow. Jester tipped me off to something really cool I think you'll want to see.”

“The same goes for you. I expect they will go after all of you when we get separated, so they can have leverage over me.”

“I will.”

“Good.”

The silence that fell between them felt fragile, like the peace could break at any moment. Caleb let his eyes close to fully soak in the sensation of Fjord surrounding him. A gentle shift of Fjord's head tipped him off to the slow kiss that followed. When the kiss ended, Caleb finally opened his eyes again and a brought up a hand to rest on Fjord's cheek. His thumb stroked just under the dark bags that had slowly grown over the few days between speaking to Dairon and today.

“We should go, Fjord.”

“I know.” After releasing a tired sigh, Fjord pressed a kiss to his forehead and took a step back. “The others are probably waiting for us to join them. Do you have everything?”

“Ja.”

As they exited the room, Caleb pulled his coat tighter around his body and let one hand dip into his pocket to fuss with the components hidden within. The others greeted them with varying levels of nervous energy, but none made any comments about their plan. Upon leaving the Lavish Chateau, an arm extended out for him to loop his through. He leaned ever so slightly into Fjord's side on their way to the stalls by the docks and his smile in his scarf when Fjord pressed a kiss to the top of his head.

When they arrived, Caleb was nearly blown away by the beauty of the incredible works of art and handmade clothing available for sale. The smell of food permeated the air and magical lights danced around keeping the area warmly lit. Laughter and conversation came from all sides of them as they made their way through the crowd already enjoying the festivities.

While Jester directed Beau's attention to a series of beautiful blue dresses, Caduceus and Molly wandered to a nearby stall with teas and crystals. It wasn't until Nott and Yasha split off to check a stall stacked high with trinkets that Caleb felt nerves begin to fill his gut. Despite the building anxiety, he did his best to keep a smile on his face as Fjord guided him to a food vendor. The slam of someone bumping into them caused their arms to separate as Caleb got swept up in a crowd of people.

By the time he managed to push his way out of it, he found himself standing in the middle of the thoroughfare with no familiar faces in sight. Before he could pull his phone from his pocket, a hand wrapped around his upper in a firm grip. A quick glance over his shoulder caused his blood to cold at the familiar face. His head immediately snapped back forward when Trent started moving through the crowd.

It wasn't until they found an empty spot on the beach well away from anyone that might overheat or interfere that Trent released his arm. He rubbed uncertainly at the spot where his fingers dug into his skin, then turned to face him. The light of the moon caused his skin to look a sicklier yellow than he previously remembered, but the steely look in eye looked the same.

“I see you decided to have an evening out with your friends. That's very interesting. Most of your time has been spent indoors as of late. I feared that the letter would dissuade you from leaving at all, but I suppose that is why all of them are here.”

“What do you want?”

“Bren," Trent clasped his hands in front of him as his expression turned to that of a teacher lecturing a difficult student. "I want the same I have wanted since I first brought you into the fold. The power we can obtain together can put an end to all the horrific tragedies of the world.”

“Horrific for everyone or for yourself? You do not care for other people. I used to think that the praise you gave me was a sign that you cared, but I know better. Whatever power you are truly hoping to amass is only to end horrific tragedies that you deem worthy of removing.”

“We have worked on this together for years. What is it that made you change your mind? This is what you wanted.”

“It is what I thought I wanted. I know better now. I want no part in what you have planned. No one should have that amount of power. You least of all.”

“I had hoped you would be able to see sense. You have worked hard to get us where we are. None of it would be possible without you. It would be a shame for you not to see all your hard work come to fruition.”

As he took a small step back from Trent, Caleb slipped one hand into his pocket and glanced around the beach for signs of the others. “You make it sound like you don't plan to force me to help you accomplish your goal.”

“If you do not wish to return, that is your decision to make.”

“But I have to help you first.”

“That is your decision to make.”

“It is not my decision to make. My decision was to give the Cobalt Soul the information they needed to prevent you from doing this. I wanted no part in this. I removed myself from the equation. You are the ones that came to me. You have them following me. There is no option here.”

“There are many options here. It is a matter of what decision you make.”

“But there will be consequences if I make a decision that does not include me taking part in your plan.”

“There are always consequences to our actions.” Unexpectedly, Trent turned his back to look at the festivities they left behind them. “The consequences could be as simple as an evening of your time and a little magic.”

“And saying no. What outcome would that lead to?”

“Before we get there, I do have a proposal that might influence what decision you want to make.”

“Is that proposal I agree to go with you willingly or you force me?”

“No, but very close. You come with us willingly or we convince one of your friends to help us. From what I've heard, Fjord has magical capabilities that could be of use to us. I'm sure he would come in your place if you asked him to.”

“He will not take my place.”

“Someone has to.”

“Plenty of people could take that place if you just needed a magic-user that believed in your cause.”

With his back still turned, it was difficult to tell Trent's exact demeanor following Caleb's statement, but he seemed to stand a little stiffer. “It would take us longer to accomplish our goal. That does not mean it would be impossible.”

“Now that I know better, it is remarkable to see how easily you twist your words. You don't lie, but you certainly don't tell the truth.”

“Have you made your decision?”

“I made my decision a long time ago and nothing you have said tonight changed it.”

“That is a shame, but I knew this was a possibility that I prepared for.”

“I don't doubt that.”

Before Trent could turn, Caleb pulled phosphorus out of his pocket that smeared across his open palm as he drug the other across it. A wall of flames burst from the ground that caged Trent in a circle. The light of the flames immediately illuminated the beach drawing the attention of people nearby. While he was tempted to search for familiar faces, Caleb kept his focus on the man standing patiently within the flames.

“You were not that only one prepared.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos always greatly appreciated. You can find me on Tumblr ([SociallyAwkwardFoxWriter](http://sociallyawkwardfoxwriter.tumblr.com/)) or Twitter ([@AwkFoxy](https://twitter.com/AwkFoxy)).


	11. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for your patience waiting for this chapter to come out. Next will be a short epilogue to wrap it all up!

The orange glow of the flames cast a shadow across Trent's sickly yellow skin as he calmly assessed the fire surrounding him. When a few embers landed on his clothes, he casually brushed them away with a frail hand. He gave an unimpressed click of his tongue against the top of his mouth that set Caleb's nerves on edge. While he hadn't expected Trent to be surprised by the sudden change of their conversation, the cool confidence that radiated from him was more than a little concerning. The concern grew greatly when he stepped closer to Caleb despite the wall of fire between them.

“This is a new one, but I know you can do better. Why are you holding back?” The grin on his face turned strangely alien in the odd tilt to the corners that almost caused his face to look elongated. “There's a part of you that still wants to carry out what we started. Why pretend otherwise? Do you think your friends are going to come save you? They let us take you from them. Why would they come?”

“Even if that did not come, I want nothing to do with you or your plans. Nothing you could say would make me go with you willingly.”

“There are plenty of things I could say to make you willingly come with me. Just a few minutes, and I could get you to do whatever I wanted you to. You are still nothing more than a scared child that needs a guiding hand to show you what is best.”

“I have not needed your guiding hand for a long time.”

“If only that were true. You still don't know.”

“Don't know what?”

A crazed look filled Trent's eyes as he slowly took a step into the wall of fire with the strange smile still twisting his face. “The best laid plans always have holes. You taught me that. Your betrayal that ruined so many of our plans. One little chink in the armor is all it takes. Did you really think I would underestimate the Cobalt Soul a second time? Using you as bait was an obvious plan. It's almost pathetic how easy it was to plan for that.”

Caleb stepped back in horror when Trent made no move further forward despite the flames melting his skin and burning his clothes. Even when chunks of his face began sloughing off, his grin remained, and his eyes stayed locked with Caleb's eyes. A skeletal hand extended from the flames palm up in invitation that Caleb recoiled from in horror.

“There's still time to change your mind. It would make things much simpler if you did. No reason for this to turn into a fight. It is your decision to make, Bren. What will it be?” The drip of burned skin sliding off his hand hit the sand, then turned bright white and melted into a wet patch.

“You're not even here.”

“I told you, Bren. One chink in the armor is all it takes. I would not be so foolish as to retrieve you by myself, but I wanted to be sure to give a personal touch and throw the Cobalt Soul off the scent. Another distraction to spread them thin.”

The sinking sensation in his gut grew heavy with every word out of the simulacrum's mouth that confirmed all of his fears. When he spun to sprint back to the festivities, a horrible laughter from behind him gave him a momentary pause. A quick glance over his shoulder at the simulacrum reveling in the flames that were slowly turning it back to snow only slowed him for a few seconds. 

As he returned to focusing all his energy on sprinting back, the sounds of panic and screaming began to fill the air. People were scattering from the rows of booths as quickly as possible from any break in the thoroughfare they could find. The crowd of people flooding the opposite direction of him slowed his progress when he reached the entryway to the booths. He turned his body to the side to make struggling the opposite way of the flow easier than trying to sprint.

A few hard bumps almost caused him to lose his balance, but the other bodies surrounding him kept him on his feet. His heart thudded hard in his chest as the crowd around him grew heavier and stretched so far it felt endless. When the grouping of people began to thin, he started to pick up his pace and push a little firmer against the flow.

Just before he broke away from the crowd, something caught around his wrist. The unexpectedly firm grip jerked him backward so hard that his feet slipped on the sand. His head slammed hard into the ground causing his vision to blur from the impact. Despite the blurred vision, he managed to struggle to his heads and knees without toppling back over. 

When he lifted his head to take stock of his surroundings, he found a familiar figure towering over him. Before he could scramble backwards, Eodwulf's hand wrapped around his throat to lift him off the ground. Instinctively, his hands wrapped around Eodwulf's wrist to attempt to claw it away from crushing his windpipe. With the little breath he had left, Caleb struggled out an incantation and clamp his hands hard around Eodwulf.

A sharp curse accompanied Eodwulf releasing him in surprise at the dark magic wrapping around him. Caleb used his surprise as an opportunity to take a few stumbling steps back from him to put distance between them. The distance between them quickly disappeared as Eodwulf launched forward. His sword swung straight for his head, but a quick flick of Caleb's hand brought up a shield it bounced off.

Before Eodwulf could swing again, Caleb spread his hands out in front of him sending a blast of flame that struck him in the chest. Unfortunately, it did little to deter him from bringing his sword up once more. Instead of trying to drive the blade through him, he brought the hilt up to slam against Caleb's temple. The unexpectedness of the move caught him completely off guard preventing him from shielding his body. 

Blurriness took over his vision once more as pain spiked through his skull. In his haze, arms wrapped around him that pinned him against a firm chest and prevented him from moving his hands. He struggled uselessly against them, then tried to kick his leg back to catch whatever he could. A slam against the back of his head following his poor attempt to struggle free threatened to knock him unconscious.

It almost caused his to miss the shout from their left. “Duck!”

Something swished above his head as he dropped it down to his chest as he had been instructed to do. A resounding crack of bone or cartilage breaking filled the air that caused the vice like grip to tighten. Several more thuds of Eodwulf taking the brunt of Beau's unbridled fury met his ears, but he didn't feel his arms budge an inch.

“Drop the wizard! He doesn't belong to you anymore.”

A glob of blood hit the ground at his feet, then Eodwulf snarled. “He will always belong to us. Whether he likes it or not, we tied ourselves together in this. Nothing you can do will change that.”

“We'll see about that.”

The next blow from Beau locked up Eodwulf's body giving Caleb the chance to break free from his grip. He only got a few steps away when Beau forced herself between the two of them and used a foot to push Caleb further away. A flurry of blow struck Eodwulf hard in the ribs causing more cracks to fill the air.

“Caleb, get out of here. We're about to be surrounded.”

A quick survey of their surroundings proved her words to be true, but he didn't follow her orders. Instead, he dropped to his knees and slammed his hands into the ground sending webs of flames crawling out from him. Fire erupted from under their feet into a column of flame that stretch up toward the sky. Cries of pain from the five caught in the flame were quickly cut off by figure clad in blue that made quick work of finishing them off.

“Caleb!” He whipped his around in time to catch Fjord's shinning sword cutting through an opponent, then disappearing to reappear in front of Caleb. “Are you hurt?”

“It's not bad. Where is everyone else?”

“We got separated.”

“We need to find them.”

“What we need to do is get you out of here.”

“I-” Caleb's sentence came to an immediate halt at the sight of Trent stepping out of the shadows behind Fjord. “We have to move.”

“Watch out!”

Before Caleb could move, Fjord spun them around and let out a pain grunt as something slammed into his body. The weight of Fjord's limp body leaning against him took all his strength to lower carefully to the ground. He expected to look the direction of the attack and find Astrid stalking toward them, but it was Trent that he locked eyes with. Confusion wrinkled his eyebrows as he glanced back where he had seen Trent previously and saw him there as well.

After looking closely between the two, Caleb let his body shift into that of a tiger and sprinted for the one that attacked Fjord. A few spells landed on him, but he didn't let that slow his pace. His much heavier body slammed into Trent pinning him beneath his large paws. When he began to open his mouth, Caleb immediately clamped his jaws around his throat and tore through it. The spell gurgled uselessly out of his bleeding mouth as the light slowly faded from his eyes. 

Just to be sure, Caleb let his claws tear into Trent's chest, until it was nothing more than an empty hole in his body. He let out a furious roar as he lifted his head to find any other target he could sink his teeth into. His eyes landed on a shadow just out of the mess of combat that paused to meet his gaze. Astrid's eyes flicked down to see the mangled body beneath him, then gave him a nod and disappeared. 

With a majority of Trent's followers unconscious, Caleb returned to Fjord's side where Caduceus now knelt. The glow of his hand went out as Caleb came to a stop next to them and dropped his spell. He straightened up to his full height, then nearly toppled over when Beau threw an arm across his shoulders. After looking over her shoulder at the unconscious cuffed and gagged Eodwulf, he held up a fist that she bumped.

“That was fun.” Beau's weight became heavier against his side. “Let's never do it again.”

“Agreed.”

A groan from Fjord preceded him opening his eyes and accepting help from Cad to sit up. “Agreed. You're covered in blood. Is that...”

“No.” His nose wrinkled when he inspected the blood soaking the front of his clothes making him suddenly aware of the stickiness against his skin. “It is not mine.”

“Oh, that's good. You need a bath.”

“That feels like a bit of an understatement.”

“Probably. Can I get a little help up?”

Between the three of them, they managed to get Fjord to his feet for long enough that he took Beau's place against Caleb. Beau gave Fjord a pat on the chest, then gave Caleb a once over that seemed to satisfy her. Even though she looked exhausted, her eyes were still full of energy that seemed impossible.

“I'm going to help Dairon with cleaning up all this. You all should head back to the Chateau. I'll meet up with you later. Keep watch of Caleb, until I get there. We still haven't seen Astrid, and there could be more of them stationed around the city.”

“I don't think you have to worry about her.”

Beau pursed her lips in a thin line, then gave a sharp nod. “Still, stay safe. I'll come back once we're done. It might not be tonight, but I'll give a report when I do get back.”

“Be careful.”

“I always am.”

“That lie will never work on me.”

“Get out of here before I decide to kick your ass.”

“Very funny.”

“It won't be funny when it happens.” A light tap against his leg from Beau's staff put a smirk on her face. “Leave me to my work. I'd prefer to get back before sunrise.”

“Then don't take too long.”

“Very helpful.”

* * *

“Hop in the shower to get as much as you can off you. I'll fill the bath for you.”

“Thank you, Fjord.”

The gentle brush of Fjord's thumb across his recently healed temple sent a shiver down his spine. “I was so worried I wouldn't get to do this again.”

“Me too.”

A soft smile tugged up the corners of Fjord's lips, then he tilted Caleb's head back to press a kiss to his forehead. Caleb reached his hands up to gently wrap around Fjord's wrists and let his eyelids fall shut. The quiet of the bathroom felt almost oppressive after the chaos they endured earlier. He took several deep breaths to calm himself as he fought the urge to lean into Fjord.

“I should get this blood off.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

They stayed together for a few more seconds before forcing themselves to separate from each other. While Fjord headed to the bath in the corner, Caleb stripped out of his clothes and threw them straight in the trash can. The cool water from the shower head stained pink as it washed away the layer of coagulated blood sticking to his chest. He made quick work of scrubbing the blood off, then washed his hair and shut off the water.

As he stepped out of the shower, he wrapped a towel around his waist and one around his shoulders to protect him from the cold. He joined Fjord by the tub and pressed a hand between his shoulder blades. After turning off the water, Fjord motioned for Caleb to enter the floral scented water.

“Join me?” Caleb pressed his fingers firmly into Fjord's back. “Please.”

“Let me wash first. Go ahead and get in.”

As soon as Fjord headed for the shower, Caleb dropped his towels and stepped into the warm bath. He sank back against the edge of the tub as the water slowly loosened his tense muscle enough to relax. The exhaustion from the day settled heavily over him causing his eyes to slide shut as sleep threatened to take him. Time slipped away from him, until a gentle hand encouraged him to lean forward, so Fjord could slide in behind him.

The firm planes of Fjord's chest acted as the perfect cushion for Caleb to relax back into. His head fell comfortably against Fjord's shoulder to tuck against the side of his neck. Arms wound around him to pull him tighter against Fjord leaving little space between their bodies.

“Will I have to carry you to bed?”

“Possibly. You are very cozy.”

“If you would rather, we could move this to the bedroom. It would be a shame if you turned into a raisin.”

“Just a while longer.”

“We can do that.” A hand ran soothingly along his arm in long, slow strokes. “How are you feeling? Other than tired. You haven't said much.”

“I don't know. It feels surreal. I thought I was free of all this once before and it came back to haunt me. It's hard come to terms with what happened tonight. Hard to believe that any of it was real. I don't want to go to sleep because it means I might wake up to find none of this has happened.”

“It's real, Caleb. I know there's nothing I can say or do to prove that, but you're going to wake up tomorrow and all of this will be real. I promise you.”

“What if it isn't?”

“You'd still have me and Beau and everyone else. We would still be there for you, and we are still there for you. You're not alone in any of this.”

Despite the sluggishness of his limbs, he turned to face Fjord and cradled his face in his hands. “I ripped his throat out and destroyed his chest, but it still feels like he could appear at any moment. It was too easy. All of it felt too easy.”

“But what did it take to get there? Everything you had to accomplish to get to that moment made it possible. Don't forget that.”

“What if it wasn't really him? When we got separated, I thought he grabbed me and took me to a private spot to convince me to side again, but it wasn't really him. It was just a simulacrum he made to pull my strings. What if the one I killed wasn't him? Just another fake or someone wearing his face.”

“He doesn't have you, and that's the important thing. Whether that was him or not, he made a hard move tonight and it didn't work. He failed.”

“They're just pawns to him. We were always just pawns for him to throw around board without risking himself in the process. It's not a loss to him. He can just find new people.”

“If that were true, he wouldn't come for you. Maybe, he would want revenge, but he wouldn't bother to bring you back. A king needs more than pawns to protect them. They have to rely on some people to maintain control. You, Astrid, Eodwulf. He needs you. He'll crumble without you. He was desperate and clawing to get control back. Desperate people make mistakes.”

“Yeah...” Caleb squeezed his eyes shut to prevent tears falling from them, but the gentle touch of Fjord's fingers under them had him instinctively opening them allowing the tears to flow. “I killed him.”

“I know. I know.”

His body collapsed against Fjord's chest and his fingers clung desperately to his shoulders to keep him from slipping further. Large hands easily manipulated his body into strong arms that lifted him from the tepid water. Soft material passed along his skin, then settled around him to protect him from the cold. He clung harder to Fjord when he felt his body lowered onto a bed, but finally released when he ran a comforting hand through his hair.

In the time it took for Fjord to return, his tears ran dry and his erratic breathing returned to normal. When Fjord knelt next to the bed to check on him, he placed a set of clothes on the bedside table, so his could rub a towel along Caleb's damp skin. After drying him off, Fjord helped him sit up, then guided him into a baggy shirt and oversized sweatpants. Once he was satisfied with Caleb's state of dress, he lifted him from the damp bed to deposit him on the other.

Fjord tugged the sheets and comforter up, then slid in next to Caleb before tucking them tightly around them. His arms encompassed Caleb in a pleasant warmth that could only come from the body heat radiating off him. Before resting their foreheads against each other, Fjord tenderly kissed his forehead.

“Will you be able to sleep?”

“I don't know." Caleb curled his hand into the soft fabric of Fjord's shirt. “I'll try.”

“If it helps, I'll watch over you.”

“You need sleep.”

“Not more than you. I'll be fine for one night.”

“Thank you, Fjord.”

“Sleep now, Caleb. I'll be here the whole time. You're safe.”

* * *

“You look worse than I feel.” Beau's hand slammed hard into Fjord's back as she walked past him to take the sit on Caleb's other side. “I'll need to go to Zadash for a few days to help Dairon wrap all this up. There's going to be a lot of paperwork and all that other boring shit.”

“You are willingly going to Zadash to do a bunch of paperwork.”

“I'm willingly going to Zadash to finish this job properly, dick. Don't get into any trouble while I'm gone. Let Fjord take you sailing, or whatever the two of you do for fun.”

“What is there to finish?”

After thanking Jester for bringing her a plate of food, Beau shoveled a few strips of bacon into her mouth and took a long drink of water. “They're working on transferring everyone we captured today, including Eodwulf. We didn't find Astrid. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that.”

“I saw her.”

“And?”

“She left.”

“They're going to keep searching for her. Whether she participated in what happened last night or not, she's been working with him. She may have had a change of heart, but they can't risk that she left just to avoid getting caught. They have to assume she'll try to continue his work.”

“I know.”

“Okay.” Her fingers drummed thoughtfully against the table for a few moments as she stared into the distance. “You know I have to ask if you know where she would go.”

“You know I don't.”

“Yeah, I know, but I have to ask.”

“What else do you have to ask?”

“I'll have to write a full report on everything that happened last night, but that can wait.”

After a moment of hesitation, Caleb voiced the question that had been gnawing on him all night and morning. “Was it him?”

“It was. A cleric confirmed it this morning. They're going to take his body to Vasselheim to properly dispose of it. It's possible he had a way of returning, and they're going to make sure that doesn't happen.”

“They're sure it is him?”

“Yes, it was confirmed. It was Trent.”

“That's... good. That is good. He's gone.”

“He is.” A settled on his shoulder to give a firm squeeze of assurance. “He's gone now. You made sure of that. He can't hurt you or anyone else again. It's over.”

“That's what I thought last time.”

“Last time, Trent wasn't a corpus. There's no one that's going to break him out of this one. Dairon is going to accompany the body to Vasselheim to make sure everything is handled properly. I'm going to make sure everything is closed out. No going into hiding or getting a new name. It's over.”

“I have to tell you what happened first, then I'll be done, right?”

“Yeah, I'll take everything from there. A few days in Zadash and I'll close the books completely on this one. That's all that's left.”

“When do we start?”

“We can do it now. Start when you and Fjord got separated. What happened?”

“I thought that Trent grabbed me out of the crowd, but it wasn't him. It was a simulacrum of him. He knew that I would be bait to draw him out. He knew.”

“Caleb, keep going.”

* * *

“What are you thinking about?”

“Nothing.” Caleb tilted his head back to catch Fjord's face in the gorgeous glow of the afternoon sun. “I'm just enjoying the view. It's beautiful out here. I can see why you enjoy it so much.”

“It's better when you have good company.”

“You don't say? I'll have to come out here with Beau to see what that's like.”

Arms wrapped around his waist from behind dragging him back from the railing. “Very funny. And here I thought we were having an enjoyable day. I guess I'll just share the fancy picnic I put together with someone else.”

“You put together a picnic?”

“I normally bring a sandwich when I spend a day out, but I thought you might enjoy something a little more interesting.”

“Like what?”

“Close your eyes.”

With an exaggerated sigh, Caleb closed his eyes as Fjord's arms disappeared from his waist and left Caleb shivering in the cool breeze. As much as he strained his ears, he could barely pick up anything that could give away what Fjord brought along. It did allow him to pick up on Fjord's steps creaking on the deck of the ship when he returned to Caleb. His hands cradled Caleb's jaw before he pressed a kiss to the tip of his nose.

“You can open your eyes now.”

“What am I going to see?”

“Something irresistible.”

“How tempting.” It didn't surprise him in the least that Fjord's gorgeous face greeted him as soon as his eyes opened. “I thought you were talking about the food, but I suppose you will do.”

“I was hoping for a little more than good enough.”

“Like what?”

“Maybe, a nice compliment. Something about how kind and handsome I am.”

“Is that all?”

“Whatever compliments you want to offer will do. I'm not picky.”

As he hummed under his breath, Caleb played with the hair that slipped free of the small knot he typically kept it in. “You are very handsome and kind and an incredible sailor. At least, I assume so. I can't claim to know many or know anything about sailing. You seem very good at it.”

“Stop. You're going to make me blush.”

After giving a playful roll of his eyes, Caleb spun around out of Fjord's arms to find a blanket spread across the deck with a basket and some food spread across it. Two pillows from the bench were placed next to each other on the blanket making it clear where they would sit. Despite Fjord telling him about it, he almost couldn't believe that the picnic spread before him was real.

“Are you going to sit?” It took a guiding hand on his lower back to convince his feet to move the short distance over to one of the pillows. “There are a few different options, but I thought we should probably start with the meat and cheese first.”

“Fjord?”

“Yes.”

“You know I would not have minded sandwiches. I'm not a picky eater. You didn't need to go through all this trouble.”

“It wasn't any trouble. I wanted to do this, and I thought it might help.”

While he wanted to meet Fjord's eyes, Caleb watched his fingers pick nervously at the blanket. “I am fine. You didn't need to worry about me.”

“We both know that's not true. You've been nervous all day, which is completely reasonable. I'd be surprised if you weren't.”

“There's nothing to be nervous about. Beau is going to come back and that will mean the end of it.”

“You'll get to take that vacation.”

“I should probably take time to reestablish my shop first. Business has been slightly sporadic recently. It deserves some of my attention.”

“The holidays are coming up. A perfect time to get away for a little while. I'm sure Beau would appreciate the break.”

“That does sound nice.” Caleb plucked a piece of cheese off the plate to give a momentary distraction. “We'll be moving back to our place soon. It will be strange not to be around all of you.”

“I was thinking the same. We'll just have to be sure to make plans. We could go out to dinner, see a movie, go sailing. Whatever you wanted to do.”

“Would you stay the night?”

A low chuckle rumbled out of Fjord's chest, then he leaned down to bring their lips so close they brushed as he spoke. "If you invited me, I couldn't imagine ever turning down that invitation.”

“Even if you'll have to put up with Beau making jokes about walks of shame in the morning?”

“I'd have to feel ashamed about it for that to matter.”

“Good to know.” He slid his hand along Fjord's chest to settle on the side of his neck. “It might help if you stayed over our first night back. Maybe, everyone could come over. Just for one night.”

“I'm sure we could make that work. I will definitely be there.” The slight brush turned into a firm press that took Caleb's breath away completely by the time they separated. “We should eat before the seagulls decide to get brave and steal everything.”

“Does that happen often?”

“More than you would think.”

“Then we should stop tempting them. I wouldn't want them to ruin all your hard work.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos always greatly appreciated. You can find me on Tumblr ([SociallyAwkwardFoxWriter](http://sociallyawkwardfoxwriter.tumblr.com/)) or Twitter ([@AwkFoxy](https://twitter.com/AwkFoxy)).


	12. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It has finally come to an end! Thanks so much for all the support while I was writing this. You all are awesome!

As soon as the salty air greeted him, a warmth filled his gut at the sense of home he felt upon stepping off the plane. They had only been gone for a week and a half, but the instant his eyes landed on the two people waiting for them outside the airport it felt infinitely longer. It took every ounce of self-control not to launch himself right at Fjord once he got close enough to do so. Instead, he waited for Fjord to wrap him up in a hug before he melted against his chest to soak in seeing each other again.

“How was your first vacation?”

“It was fun. We went to some of the most incredible museums I have ever seen. Oh, and there was this library that I almost couldn't believe was real. There were so many amazing books on the arcane and history. They actually threw us out because we lost track of time.”

A low chuckle rumbled out of Fjord's chest, then he leaned down to kiss Caleb on the temple. “I can't say that surprises me. I'm happy to hear you had a good time.”

“It was great, but I am glad to be back. I missed seeing all of you.”

“We missed you too. If you're feeling up to it, I thought I'd make you dinner tonight.”

“Really?”

“I may have purchased something special to cook for you tonight. I know traveling is exhausting, so I'd understand if you aren't up for it.”

“It is exhausting, but a home cooked meal does sound amazing.” With a smile, Caleb gave Fjord a quick kiss, then pulled away to check on the two near them to find them both lost in their own world. “Will you be staying the night?”

“If you don't mind the company.”

“I've been sharing hotel rooms with Beauregard. Your company would be a breath of fresh air.”

“Don't let her hear you say that.”

“I don't think I need to worry about that.”

“You might be right about that. Think they'll notice if we leave?”

“Probably not.”

After sending him a quick wink, Fjord let out a loud whistle that caused Beau and Jester to jump in surprise. A firm punch to the shoulder had Fjord shifting behind him before Beau could catch him a second time with her fist. When she didn't immediately try to go after him again, Fjord grabbed Caleb's bag off the ground and pressed his free hand to his lower back.

“Now that you're done saying hello, how about we get out of here?”

As Beau opened her mouth to say something, Jester grabbed her hand with an excited bounce and began leading her to the exit. “Good idea, Fjord. I want to hear all about your trip and see all the photos you took.”

“They probably want to get settled in before any of that, Jessie.”

“It doesn't take that long to do that. Although, you should shower because airplanes are pretty gross. That's always the first thing I do. So, you both shower and we'll make lunch, then you tell us all about your trip.”

While Beau added to Jester's plan, Caleb slid into the front seat of Fjord's car with a quick smile of thanks at Fjord for holding open the door. Once the others were all buckled in, he pulled out his phone to let the others know they got back safely. He contented himself to responding to the group chat and occasionally throwing out questions to Jester as she filled them in on everything they missed. His hand drifted over to hold the hand Fjord left casually resting against the center console.

A soft squeeze brought his attention up to the small townhome Fjord was in the process of pulling into the driveway of. The moment Fjord pit the car in park Caleb unbuckled his seatbelt and headed for the front door to unlock it. He was just turning off the security system when the other entered with their bags. After depositing the bags in the laundry room, Jester and Fjord headed for the kitchen leaving Caleb and Beau to sort through them.

“I'm probably going to the Chateau tonight. The two of you can be as loud as you want.”

He rolled his eyes at Beau as he tossed a few shirts into the washer over her shoulder. “Very funny. Will you be staying for dinner?”

“That'll depend on how long Jess wants to talk about the trip. You know she'll want to hear what you thought.”

“I don't know how much input I'll be able to offer. I doubt she'll want to hear about what I found interesting.”

“She's Jester. Of course, she wants to hear about it.”

“And she'll want to know what I bought for her.”

“That too.”

* * *

“This was incredible. Thank you, Fjord.” Caleb set his plate on the side table, then wrapped his blanket tighter around his shoulders and relaxed back into the couch.

“I'm glad you liked it. I might not be the best cook, but I like to think that I have pasta down enough to make it a little fancier.”

“You did an excellent job. I really appreciate it. We had some amazing food, but it is nice to have something simple and familiar. It was exactly what I needed.”

“Hopefully, you feel the same about dessert.”

“There's dessert?”

On his way to grab Caleb's plate, Fjord stopped to give him a soft kiss. “It's nothing fancy. There was this cake I saw at the store that sounded interesting. I thought we could split.”

“Since when do you have a sweet tooth?”

“Very funny.”

He hid his laughter behind his hand, so Fjord wouldn't be able to hear him in the kitchen. Despite this, Fjord gave him a knowing look when he returned with the cake in hand and handed a plate over to Caleb. Rather than let him return to the other end of the couch, Caleb grabbed him by the shirt to tug him down. Even though he could have easily broken free, he dramatically fell onto the couch.

“If you wanted me closer, you could have just asked.”

“That was me asking.”

“Really? I didn't hear you say anything.”

After shrugging his shoulders, Caleb shifted to lean against Fjord, who placed his arm around Caleb's shoulders to draw him in. “Not everything needs words.”

“Is that so? What else doesn't need words?”

“I'm sure you can think of a few things.”

A thoughtful expression scrunched up Fjord's face as he took a large bite of cake that he took longer than necessary to chew. The entire time Caleb could tell that he was trying to hold back a smirk. Just as he finished swallowing, Caleb gave a light pinch to the side and stuck out his tongue in retaliation for intentionally taking his time.

“What was that for?”

“You know exactly what it was for.”

“I don't have the slightest idea.” Before Caleb could dodge out of the way, a spot of icing smeared against his nose. “But that seems like fair payback for it.”

“You are a menace. Why did I invite you to stay the night?”

“You could still kick me out.”

“We had wine with dinner. You are not driving home.”

“I won't argue with that.”

“Good.”

While one hand threaded through Fjord's hair to tip his head to just the right angle, his other set his plate out of the way. A playful little bump to his nose urged Fjord to cut the distance between them for a toe-curling kiss. The slide of a hand along his side ended on his spine to pull him firmly against Fjord's solid chest. Unexpectedly, he suddenly found himself tipping backward with Fjord's body gently pressing him into the couch cushions.

A breathy laugh fell from his lips when Fjord broke away to pepper kisses along his face and neck. “I thought you wanted to have dessert.”

“Dessert can wait.”

“I couldn't agree with you more. As sweet as it was of you to get us dessert, I much prefer this.”

“Is that your way of saying you missed me?”

“Was that even in question? I thought I made that clear.”

“It's nice to hear it.” Fjord lifted his head to rest their foreheads together. “I'm glad you had fun, but I missed you too. A week and a half felt a lot longer than I expected.”

“I know what you mean. I'll admit there were a few places we went that brought you to mind. Maybe, we should visit together in the future.”

“I think that's an excellent idea.”

“It's a date.”

A wide smile appeared on Fjord's face that quickly disappeared from Caleb's view as he brought their lips together for another kiss. “I'm hoping that doesn't mean we have to wait for our next one. While you were gone, I thought of a few ideas that you might enjoy.”

“I would love to hear them.”

“How much time do you have?”

“All night.”

“Isn't that convenient?”

“Very.” Caleb scratched his nails lightly against Fjord's skull, then ran his hand along his back. “Did you want to start now or continue what you were doing?”

“Those are two very tempting options.”

“If it makes it easier to decide, we have time for both.”

“That does make it much easier.”

* * *

He was nearly through stacking his latest shipment on the shelves when the bells above the shop door rang. The woman stepping over the threshold gave him a nod of greeting, then made her way to the arcane section. After quickly shelving the rest of the box, Caleb moved behind the counter to wait for her. When she finally emerged once more, there were several thick books cradled against her chest.

As he picked up the first one to scan, an envelope fell from the pages to land on the pile of books underneath. Before he could reach for it, a pale hand reached out to push it closer to him giving him a perfect view of the familiar handwriting. He calmly lifted his head to find a sad smile on her face. All the questions on the tip of his tongue remained there as he focused on scanning the rest of the books.

The moment the final cost rang up she passed the money over to him, then accepted the bag of books. For a moment, they simply stared at each other, but she eventually broke eye contact to accept her receipt. Before heading out of the shop, she gave him a stiff nod and a wave goodbye.

“Thank you for stopping by.”

“Thank you, Caleb.”

Once the door swung shut behind her, his shaking fingers picked up the envelope and popped the seal. The parchment within was thicker than he expected it to be, but it began abundantly clear why when he unfolded them. He was surprised to find that one of the sheets was addressed to Beau and another to Fjord. The last three were in Zemnian, clearly meant for his eyes alone.

He read through the ones meant for him several times before taking his phone out to call Beau. “Caleb.”

“Beauregard.”

“I'm kind of in the middle of something. Can this wait?”

“Astrid left me a letter. There's one for you and Fjord as well.”

“When?” The sound of someone trying to get Beau's attention in the background was quickly cut off by a door shutting. “Was she there?”

“Ja, she bought a few books and left it behind.”

“Did you already read them?”

“Only mine.”

“What did it say?”

“Goodbye.”

A relieved sigh filled the line, then Beau's voice returned calmer than it had previously been. “I'll still need to bring it in, so they can look it over, but that's good.”

“It is. I think it's very good.”

“Are you okay?”

“I am... fine. This was unexpected, but it is good to know she is moving on. I hope she can find the same peace I have.”

“She'll have to be a lot more careful about it, but I'm sure she can. If that's what she wants.”

“I think it is.” He glanced down at the letter still held in his hands. “I think she had been considering it for a while. This gave her the opportunity she needed to get away from it.”

“It seems like it. I'm going to finish up what I'm doing here, then I'll head over to get the letters she dropped off. If you want Fjord to be able to read his, you better take pictures of it.”

“Thank you, Beauregard.”

“Don't mention it. It's my job to protect you.”

“I'm pretty sure that stopped being your job when I ripped Trent's throat out.”

Even though he couldn't see her, Caleb could easily imagine the eye roll his statement earned him. “No, that just meant I stopped being paid to watch over you. Now, I have to do it because I value your friendship.”

“Since when do you value you my friendship?”

“Did you think I just let you live with me for fun? I would have kicked you out on your ass the moment Dairon said I could if I didn't like you.”

“That's very comforting, Beauregard.”

“It better be. My friendship doesn't come easy.”

“Of that, I am well aware.”

“Could you stop being a dick for two seconds?”

“That's asking a lot of me.” Another ring of the bell drew his attention to a man holding the hand of a small child that waved excitedly at him. “As amazing as this conversation is, I have some customers I need to assist. I'll see you soon.”

“See you.”

* * *

“We haven't done this is a while.” Caleb handed over a glass of wine to Beau, then poured his own and settled back in his lounge chair. “Thank goodness we bought that heater. I didn't expect Nicodranas to get so cold.”

“It's not that cold.”

“Well, it's certainly no Rexxentrum, but it is more than I was expecting.”

“Whatever you say. I think it's a very pleasant evening.”

“You are wearing the thickest sweater you own and have two blankets.”

“And?”

He rolled his eyes at her raised eyebrow and little smirk. “Was there anything else you want to talk about tonight that isn't your immunity to the cold when you're wearing layers?”

“Shut up.” A socked foot poked out from beneath Beau's blanket to jab him in the thigh. “I, uh, have a question for you.”

“Shoot.”

“I managed to get a long weekend off in a few weeks, and I thought I could ask Jessie if she wanted to go on a little trip. Nowhere far, just a short weekend thing.”

“Jester will love that.”

“You don't think it's too soon?”

“Do you think it is?”

“I don't know. How long are you supposed to wait to ask someone to take a trip with you?”

Caleb hummed thoughtfully under his breath as he considered the question. “If you are looking for advice from someone with personal experience, I would ask someone else. If you want to know what I think, it's probably different for every couple. As long as the two of you feel comfortable, I don't see why it would be a problem.”

“Would you say yes if Fjord asked you?”

“Ja, I would. We have already discussed trips we would like to take together in the future.”

“You have?”

“Well,” His fingers picked nervously at the blanket draped across his lap. “when we came back from our trip, I mentioned there we saw a few things I thought Fjord would enjoy and suggested we go together in the future. He agreed. He has also mentioned a few places he went to as a sailor he'd like to take me.”

“So, Jester will probably say yes.”

“I think she would. The two of you have been dating a few months, and you were friends before that. A short trip does not seem like an outlandish thing for the two of you to go on. If you are worried about whether she is comfortable with the idea, talk to her about it.”

“Easier said than done.”

“I'm well aware, but it is the only way you will know for certain that she isn't saying yes because she thinks it is what you want.”

“I guess you have a point.”

“Thank you for the confidence.”

A pillow lightly struck the side of his head almost causing him to spill his wine on the cat napping in his lap. When he turned to glare at Beau, she was already prepping to hit him in the face a second time. He quickly slid sideways to avoid the pillow that ended up hitting the back of his lounge chair instead of the intended target.

“Is that really how you thank someone for giving you advice?”

“Do you have a problem with it?”

“I am not answering that question.”

“Coward.” After one more missed swing, Beau resettled in her chair with her arms behind her head. “It's funny to think when I first got reassigned here, I thought this might end up an absolute disaster.”

“It did turn out much better than I expected it to. I am glad you allowed me to come with you. Before meeting all of you, I never could have imagined having any of this. Thank you for that.”

“I don't know why you're thanking me for that. All I did was let you tag along.”

“Things would be a lot different if we parted ways.”

“Well, that goes both ways. I've kind of gotten used to having you around when you're not making out with Fjord.”

“How is it you always manage to ruin a pleasant conversation?”

“It's a finely honed craft that you wouldn't understand.”

“Ja, I am sure it took you a long time to hone your craft.”

“It did, so you should appreciate it.”

A low chuckle redirected Beau's attention from the city laid out before them to focusing solely on him. “Believe me, there is no one I appreciate more.”

“Don't get sappy on me.”

“Too late.”

“Well, I, uh, appreciate you. Things would be a lot shittier without you around.”

“Eloquent as always.”

“Listen, I came up here for the wine, not the conversation.”

“We both know that's a lie. These nights would be boring without the conversation.”

“Maybe, we could always try it and find out.”

“There's always next time.”

“Or the next. I'm not picky.” Their glasses clinked together, then they both took a quick sip. “There's plenty of time to try it out.”

“That's very true. Plenty of time.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos always greatly appreciated. You can find me on Tumblr ([SociallyAwkwardFoxWriter](http://sociallyawkwardfoxwriter.tumblr.com/)) or Twitter ([@AwkFoxy](https://twitter.com/AwkFoxy)).


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